Two Worlds
by HoneyFlower15
Summary: Tsukushi has been dating her boyfriend Tsukasa for over a year now and it's like everything in her life has finally fallen into place. But she learns that he's been lying to her about who he really is. Will she be able to continue on in a relationship with someone born from the rich who rules over all? Will his mother allow them? Or the better question is will she still want to?
1. Chapter 1

Tsukushi let out a soft yawn, making sure to cover her mouth with her hand so that her manager didn't see her. It was a slow day at work and so far they've only had a handful of customers come into the sweet shop where she and her best friend worked at. She inwardly groaned, her pay was decent but she also gained more with commission and the more she sold the more money would be added to her paycheck. Her family's money situation wasn't what you would call the best. If anything she was amazed they weren't all homeless. With how many times her father has been laid off it amazed her that still had a roof over their heads. Her parents weren't exactly what you would call reliable, they had tried for years to convince her to go to some elite school so she could marry a rich husband and make all their lives better but after one tour of the campus her mind was instantly made up and she outright refused to go there. Of course her parents still tried to make her so she purposely failed the entrance exam. They had been heartbroken when she got the rejection letter but she was positive that with a little hard work they could make their lives a lot better without the help of some rich snob. It was one of the reasons why she worked so hard at her job. She always put in 110% into everything she does and usually it paid off.

But with a quick glance at the clock told her that today was not one of those days. It was nearly ten and the store would be closing in about ten minutes. Unless someone came in and bought up the entire display of sweets she wouldn't be expecting a bigger paycheck than usual.

"Shall we start closing up?" Yuuki suggested, already bringing out the boxes that they would put the leftover sweets in. All of their goods are made fresh in the morning and whatever doesn't get sold goes to charity. Tsukushi suggested the idea when she first started working there and noticed that all the leftovers just got thrown out. The manager seemed to like the idea and it helped increase their business somewhat when people found out they donated.

"Sure, why not." She stretched out her stiff neck, the ponytail she tied her hair in swinging side to side as she cracked her neck. It felt nice and made her body feel somewhat relaxed. Standing on her feet all day could be tiresome but the pay here was good so she didn't complain too much.

Swiftly both girls set to work to clean up and close the shop so they could get out on time and finish up whatever homework they couldn't do on break. Yuuki handled taking the boxes of leftovers to the back where they would get picked up later while Tsukushi stayed in the front to finish wiping everything done. At the sound of the automatic door opening she rolled her eyes and groaned. There was always one person who showed up afterhours and demanded some kind of pastry. Usually it was a drunken old man. "I'm sorry, but we're closed. You'll have to come back tomorrow." She said, not bothering to look up. Making eye contact would only make things even more troublesome.

"Is that so? Guess I'll just have to take my business elsewhere."

Brown eyes widen in surprise at the familiar warm voice and she whipped her head up so fast she could practically taste the whiplash. "Tsukasa." her earlier depression about not getting a bigger paycheck disappeared when she saw the man standing before her.

"Yo." He smiled at her, resting his chin in his hand as he leaned against the counter. Standing before her was a man with curly brown hair, dark hazel eyes that always reflected what he was feeling, usually accompanied by a matching smirk on his face. He was 6'4 with a body most high school athletes prayed for and always dressed in style. His name was Tsukasa Daidouji and he was her boyfriend.

"Hey," she felt a blush form on her cheeks when she saw how close his face was to hers. Despite going out for a year she could never seem to stop the sudden blushes that would come every time they were together. While she found them absolutely embarrassing he happened to like that he could get her to blush at every little thing. "What are you doing here? I thought you said you had work?"

He shrugged his shoulders, his dark blue leather jacket making a slight noise as he did so. "I finished early so I figured I'd come and pick you up."

Tsukushi didn't have to feel it to know the smile she wore doubled in size. This man never ceased to amaze her. It was hard to believe he was the same person he was when she first met him.

The first time they had met was when she bumped into him on the street and she accidentally spilled coffee on the both of them. Both were upset by what happened but he had acted like she ruined some priceless piece of art. He had yelled at her and she yelled back before punching him right across the face when he tried dragging her off somewhere. She ran away after that and felt mortified for the rest of the day for the way she acted. She knew she shouldn't have punched him but he had gotten her so angry that she couldn't stop herself. She knew she would have to apologize the next time they saw each other but she had hoped it would be a very long time before they crossed paths again. However much to her surprise they had met again very next day in the exact same spot. He had been waiting for her, stating that he would keep showing up until she properly apologized to him.

Needless to say it didn't take very long for an argument to ensue between the two of them and it continued until she realized she was going to be late for work and took off running. He shouted at her for being a coward and she yelled back an insult at him, adding that they would settle their fight later. From that point on they had met up every day, always in the same spot. He said that he refused to let this go until she got down on her hands and knees and apologized to him. That comment made her throw her shoe at his head, as if she would ever do it. So every day they would meet, spout insults and argue like no tomorrow before she left to run the rest of the way to work and they'd start their strange new routine all over again the next day. Soon enough they began to get used to the other's presence being there and though neither wanted to admit it they looked forward for the time to come when they would see each other. It was a strange thing but it through all the arguing and fighting they were enjoying themselves and over time they began to feel more, their feelings forming and turning into what they were today. They've been dating for over a year and the love they felt for the other growing each day.

Tsukushi sometimes couldn't believe through all those times fighting with each other it had brought them together but she had to say it was kind of right. They both had strong personalities and neither liked giving up without a fight. In fact they usually got into some kind of argument on a daily basis and despite the urge to rip all her hair out and smack him all the way to China she wouldn't have it any other way. "Aw, that's so sweet." She jumped, body tensing up and face burning when she heard her best friend's voice and slowly turned around to see Yuuki walking towards them with an amused smile on her face. "Tsukushi sure is a lucky girl to have you as a boyfriend, Daidouji-san." She said to the man, giving him a polite smile as a greet.

He nodded back to her as his greeting, the smirk on his face growing in size and in ego. "But of course. I really doubt Tsukushi could find herself a better man than me. After all I'm handsome, intelligent, and incredibly strong. If I must say so myself I'm a triple scoop." He said with pride, showing off his pearly white and wiggling his eyebrows at his girlfriend.

"You mean triple threat," Tsukushi corrected him and giggled when she saw his cheeks turn a bright shade of red at the mistake he made. "You sure you want to add intelligences to the picture."

One fine eyebrow twitched at her words, his pride wounded and lips pursed together in a frown. "Big words coming from someone hiding behind the counter. Why don't you try saying that over here, little girlie." He gestured to his side, daring her to take him up on his challenge. He was even using the annoying nickname he had given her to try and get a rise out of her.

"No, thanks I'm good." She stuck her tongue out and winked at him, earning a giggle from her friend and making her boyfriend's eyebrow twitch even more with annoyance but his eyes told her he wasn't really angry. She could see the affection and amusement that he was trying to hide behind the annoyed look. "I'll be finishing up soon. Give me fifteen minutes."

"I'll give you ten before I leave your sorry butt to walk home by itself." Tsukasa told her, pointing to his watch before heading out. He wasn't allowed to wait inside while the store was closing. Their manager knew him and they got along well together but rules were rules and he had to respectable towards them.

Tsukushi smiled at his retreating figure, her heart feeling light as it always does whenever he was around. Even when they fought the feeling never disappeared, if anything it seemed to get stronger. Both of them weren't very honest with their feelings, only in those very rare moments when it was just the two of them alone did they say what they were really feelings. Fighting and arguing was just their way of communicating with each other. "Alright, let's get to work." She rolled up her sleeves and got back to work. There wasn't much left to clean but she wanted to hurry up and finish. She knew despite what he said Tsukasa would wait there longer than the ten minute time limit he had set. She's seen him do it before. It made her happy to know he cared so much about her but it was January and she felt bad making him wait out in the cold so she pushed herself to clean up faster. With a quick glance she saw his broad shoulders as he leaned against the shop, his hands in his pockets to keep warm as he looked up at the winter sky. Snow was falling softly from the sky, little flakes that would pile up and freeze over the roads and streets, making the communicate difficult and even colder. _"Come to think of it snowed that day too." _

_**~X~**_

_Tsukushi let out a powerful sneeze as she tried to cover her mouth with a tissue as she held the phone. She hated doing it but she was calling out of work. There was no way she could go in with such a bad cold. Not only would she get Yuuki and probably all the other customers sick but she would contaminate all the food and no doubt that would end up getting her fired. So with a heavy heart she called out and tried not to tear up when she thought of how little her pay would be from missing a day of work. Hanging up the phone she looked out the foggy window in her room, snow was just starting to fall and she shivered just from looking at it. Groaning with each step she took she headed for her closet to put a sweatshirt over her pajama top. She hated it when she was sick, it meant being stuck in bed all day and not doing anything productive. With a glance at the clock she groaned when she saw that her shift would start in less than five minutes, she could only hope that Yuuki wasn't stuck in the store by herself and they could get someone to cover for her. _

_"I wonder if he's still waiting?" she mused, not realizing it she spoke out loud until her words reached her ears and she felt her whole face heat up. "What am I saying? Why do I even care about that idiot?" She groaned, annoyed that she somehow gotten used to thinking about that weirdo who she met every day on her way to work. That man seemed to solely exist to annoy the living daylights out of her. For over a month he's been harassing her, demanding an apology over a spilt cup of coffee that ended up staining both of their clothes. She understood that dry cleaning was expensive but his behavior was just plain obsessive and she really should report him one day to the police. But despite the many times she felt the urge to do so she never did. Because deep down, in a part of her heart where she refused to publicly acknowledge it, she actually found herself enjoying his company. Another blush formed on her cheeks and she groaned as she fell face first into her futon. "This fever must be making me delusional. It's best to just sleep it off. The faster I get better the faster I'll get back to work." She told herself, setting for her alarm to go off in an hour. It wouldn't do her any good to sleep all day and then be up all night so she figured taking a nice nap would do her some good. With that all set she curled into a ball, enjoying the warmth of her blanket and tried to relax her body so it could nap. As much as she hated missing work it did feel nice to relax every once in a while. No annoying customers, no constant thought of commission, no arguing with some weird guy that made her want to rip out her hair. "He probably left by now anyways." She mumbled softly. Realizing that once again she was thinking of him she smacked her forehead. There really had to be something wrong with her for her to be thinking about that guy so much. He was rude, obnoxious, and had an ego the size of Texas. Every time he opened his mouth she wanted to hit him and sometimes she did. _

_And yet somehow between the annoyance she felt a touch of enjoyment. Every time they would meet up they would argue before she ran off to her work and despite how hard she tried to deny it her heart always seemed to feel lighter each time they met up. Lately she's even found herself laughing hours after their latest argument and she even started to prepare a few lines of insults that would fit him perfectly with his octopus hair and giant ego. She was enjoying the time they spent together. He was different then most of the guys she knew. There was a different air about him that both annoyed and attracted her. He was different, he was fun, and at times could actually be kind of cute. _

_An alarm went off. Literally. With a jolt she sat up, her face now resembling a tomato more than anything and her head becoming light headed but the cause was not because of her cold. Slamming her hand down on the alarm with much more force than necessary she jumped when she saw just what time it was. She had slept for four hours! With her strange mental debate she must have set the alarm for the wrong time. Groaning at her own stupidity she jumped out of her futon and headed over to the window. The snow was coming down harder and starting to pile up. Only one thought was on her mind as she looked out at the cold winter's day. "That guy is stubborn but even he has to have some kind of common sense to go home," she told herself, walking over to her closet and grabbing a scarf. "I mean he'd have to be a really big idiot to spend over four hour waiting in the middle of snow," she said with confidences, her strides long and fast as she walked to her door and put on her snow boots. "He's so annoying!" she missed the strange looks her family was giving her by running out the door and taking off in nothing but a sweatshirt and her plaid pajama bottoms. She was having a mental battle with herself as she ran to their usual meeting spots, ignoring all the looks she was getting from the people.. She didn't even notice them because her mind was too busy thinking of only one person. She knew doing this was pointless and would only result in making her sicker. Most people would have gone home and left once the snow started and enough time had passed. But despite all that she kept running because he wasn't most people, he was someone entirely different. _

_She was panting by the time she reached their spot. Just when it had become their spot she'll never really know and at this point she didn't care. Her cheeks were flushed from her running and the fever, her body sweating that made her feel both hot and cold at the same time. She could feel her cold getting worse with every second she spent outside. But none of that mattered once she saw him sitting on the guardrail with his arms folded over his chest to keep warm as his body huddled close together. He was dressed in a red turtle neck with a brown leather jacket with dark blue jeans and black boots. The outfit looked warm enough but from his appearance it was obvious the outfit had long ago stopped being able to protect him from the cold. His body was racked with shivers and a frown that seemed to be set in stone on his face. He hadn't noticed her yet, his head was down and she noticed that his ears had turned red from the cold, but what she noticed the most were his eyes. His dark eyes that were always shinning with energy looked so sad and confused. It made her chest ache. She stepped towards him, though she had no idea what to say or do once she reached him. At this point she was pretty much going off on instincts. He only noticed her when she was standing directly in front of her, his brown eyes looking straight into her own brown ones. For a moment they just stood there, looking at each other as she tried to decipher what he was feeling. The sad and confused look was still there but something else had shown up as well. Something that she couldn't recognize. _

_She didn't have much time to figure it out because everything was replaced by anger in a flash. Taking a quick step back as he stood up, she readied herself for the screaming that was surely to follow. But it never did. He just stood there, looking at her with anger flashing in his eyes but with them was that other look that she still couldn't describe what it was. He was still shivering and his coloring was pale and no doubt had a fever of his own that matched hers. She wouldn't be surprised if he had pneumonia at this point. Now she was angry. Just because he didn't have anything to say doesn't mean she didn't. "Are you some kind of idiot! Who the hell is stupid enough to sit outside in the middle of winter?!" _

_That got a rise out of him. "Where do you get off calling me an idiot? I waited four hours for you in the snow because I was worried you had been in some kind of accident!" he yelled, face tense and starting to show some color. It figured that he would look more like himself the more he argued with her. He seemed to be studying her now, the anger never leaving his face but he raised an eyebrow at her look. "What's with the pajamas?" _

_"I caught a cold and was resting at home." she mumbled, suddenly feeling embarrassed for rushing out of the house without first putting on a suitable pair of pants. Though there probably wasn't much point in getting embarrassed now since she practically ran the whole way here and was sure everyone who had seen her probably thought was she some kind of crazy person._

_He flicked her forehead at this. "And you're calling me stupid. What kind of person comes out dressed like this when they're sick?" _

_She held her head that now stung from his attack and glared up at him. "I only came out here because I was worried about you. And it looks like I was right to be," she stood on the tips of her toes, wrapping her scarf around his neck and felt his forehead. Despite the cold she could feel the heat that was radiating off his body. "You have a fever. You need to go to the hospital before you get worse." She moved away, gesturing for him to follow her to the bus stop so she could take him to see a doctor but before she could get far he stopped her. He held her by her wrist, his grip firm but gentle. _

_He was silent as he stood there, holding her hand and looking at her. The anger seemed to leave him finally and the unreadable emotion was back. "Why?" he asked, his voice soft and uncertain. She may have only known him for a short while but she never once heard him talk so low before. She didn't even think it was possible because he didn't seem like the kind of guy who would be unsure about anything. He always seemed so confident in himself that seeing him like this unnerved her. "Why did you come?" _

_She bit her lip, she felt her own body start to burn up at his words. Why had she come? Any regular person would have figured that he would have gone home and not bothered to show up. Then again a normal guy wouldn't have waited four hours in the snow for someone they barely knew to show up. They weren't friends and they barely qualified as acquaintances since they only ever argued with each other. She didn't have any obligations to be there and he had none that would make him stay for so long. Both were doing what they were doing because they wanted too. Because unlike the rest of the world they didn't fall under the category of normal regular people. They were in a category all of their own. "Because it's you. The crazy guy who's been waiting here every day for over a month to yell at me for spilling coffee on you. I came here because I knew you'd be here because that's just the kind of person you are." She smiled, cheeks pink from her response but it felt nice to say how she felt. _

_He seemed stunned by her words and she wondered in the coloring in his cheeks was caused by his fever or because he was blushing. "Stupid," he released her hand to shove both of his into his coat pockets, the redness on his face growing. She giggled, finding his sudden bashful behavior rather cute. Too bad he didn't feel the same. "What the hell are you laughing at?" his eyebrow twitched with annoyance. He wasn't a fan of people who laughed at him and under normal circumstances he would have punched the person who dared to do so but didn't because he didn't want to hit this girl. Huffing to himself he pulled out his phone and shoved it towards her. "Put your number in here. Next time you're sick or running late let me know so I don't have waste my precious time again." He said, trying to sound cool and nonchalant and not show just how embarrassed and anxious he was feeling. He never asked a girl for her number before, usually it was the other way around. _

_Tsukushi looked at the electronic in front of her. She was impressed and kind of jealous that he had the latest phone. "Sorry, no can do." She pushed it away before her mind could figure out how much she would have to save up to afford a phone like that. _

_Her answered angered him. "And why the hell not?" he didn't understand why she wouldn't give him her number. Was it because she didn't want to? Did she hate him or something? _

_"Because I don't have a cell," she mumbled, looking away from him. She had no qualms about not being able to afford things that most people could but for some reason she felt embarrassed to be telling him these kinds of things. "We don't have the money to buy one and I've been trying to save up from my part time job but so far it looks like it'll still be a while before I can afford one." She played with her fingers as she spoke. He already knew that her family was pretty poor but for some reason telling him just how badly they needed money made her feel so self-conscious. _

_Tsukasa was stunned once more. "You serious?" he asked, amazed that in this dayinage there were people who somehow got by without all the ease of technology that was at their disposal. "I didn't know it was possible to be that poor." _

_"Oh, shut up!" she punched his arm. How dare he make fun of her and her family financial issues. She was ready to do more, probably give him a good swift kick before hauling his stupid ass to the hospital when her ears caught the remarks of some girls passing by them. _

_"Can you believe what she's wearing?"_

_"I know. She must be really desperate if she came out here looking like that." _

_"Doesn't look like it'll do her much good. Those clothes look like they've been around since the 1800s."_

_"Poor thing probably never had brand new clothes of her own." _

_"Poor is definitely the right word." _

_Tsukushi clenched her fists, her body shaking as she held back the urge to scream at the two girls that were passing by. She knew that her appearance probably looked strange to others and she was used to the constant whispers of her family's statues. She had long ago accepted that she was poor and there wasn't much she could do about it besides working hard every day and try her best to save up money. But after everything that's happened today her body was worn out and it didn't have any energy left to block out the mean taunts. So despite how hard she told herself those girls and their opinions didn't matter she still felt her face flush and eyes sting with tears from the shame she suddenly felt. _

_Wiping the tears from her eyes she spun around to tell the two girls off when a warm brown leather coat downed her shoulders. Before she had time to react she saw two snow balls rush past her and hit the girls, their cries reaching them and no doubt half the city. She looked to her left and sure enough there he was, the same guy who made fun of her not more than a minute ago and yelled at her every day for a month was now holding a snow ball in his bare hand, bouncing it up and down and glaring at the two girls that had enticed his wrath. "Hey, ugly girls like yourselves have no right to criticizes others. If I hear you say one more thing about her again I'll make you regret it!" he yelled, throwing the snowball at them making them scream and run away. _

_Tsukushi was shocked. She's had friends stand up to bullies for her before when they made fun of her for being poor that was always because they felt sorry for her. They've all been to her house and knew just how badly her family was but this man didn't. Sure he probably had some idea but him defending her wasn't fueled by pity, he didn't look like the type of guy who would use pity as a reason to help someone. He was simply doing it because he wanted to help her. She jumped slightly when he turned his gaze onto her and she hoped the blush on her face could be mistaken as her fever. "Y-You didn't have to do that?" He frowned and she smacked herself. Just what the hell was wrong with her? She should be thanking him and instead she's acting rude. _

_"Come on," he held out his hand. "Let's get out of here." _

_She looked at the hand that had been offered to her. It was bigger than her tiny hand, his skin looked smooth but she could see the rough texture around his knuckles and joints that comes from training and hard work. She didn't doubt that he worked out, even with him covered up in winter clothing she could tell that his body was fit. Shaking the thought out of her mind she looked up at him, his deep brown eyes that stared at her showed he didn't care that she hadn't thanked him. He was more worried about her wellbeing than anything else. "Ok." She took his hand, it all but engulfing her much smaller hand and fingers that curled around her skin made her shiver slightly. She followed him when he started walking, allowing him to lead her to a small cafe and tried her best to hide a smile as he glared at everyone who stared at them. She was sure to the rest of the world they must have looked like some kind of disaster but she found their appearance suited them and their strange situation perfectly. He ordered a coffee for_

_himself and she asked for some hot chocolate, the biggest cup they had. She for once wasn't doing the math in her head about how much it would cost or what it would do to her savings. She was freezing and wanted something to warm herself up. Looking at him she noticed he was all but gulping down his coffee, no doubt trying to do the same as her and bring the warmth back into his body. She felt guilt make its way into her heart and that bothered her. Logically she was telling herself she had no reasons to feel bad, after all it wasn't like they had made a promise to meet up every day. That only happened because of his strange obsession with getting an apology from her for something that happened over a month ago. But as she looked across the table she saw the flush on his face that came from the fever, the sweat that was still there from his body no doubt trying to fight against the infection. He was trying to put up a tough front for her but she could see through his charades. He had been worried something had happened to her and stayed there for four hours in the freezing cold. There complete strangers to each other but to go so far for someone he didn't even know, it made her heart feel warm. "Thank you," she needed to properly thank him this time. He had done so much for her and she hadn't done anything in return. "For sticking up for me to those girls. I really appreciate it." _

_He shrugged his shoulders. "So you do have some manners in you. I must say I'm pretty amazed." He grinned, setting down his coffee with an amused grin. _

_She snorted at him. "Oh, shut up or else you'll be wearing that mug as a hat." She said, taking a long sip of her drink and enjoying the heat that spread through her body._

_"What is with you and ruining my clothes with coffee? Something which you still haven't apologized for." He grumbled, leaning back in his chair as he spoke. He wouldn't admit it but his body was starting to give out on him. It was probably best if he headed home soon to rest before he passed out. Once they finished up he would call a cab and take her home before either one of them got any sicker. There was no way he was showing her his weak side. _

_"You're still on that? How times do I have to say it was an accident." She grumbled, amazed at the one track mind this guy had. She had a good memory of that day, after all who wouldn't after what happened. She had been for once in her life running late to work and was lost in her own little world as she ran that she hadn't noticed until it was too late that she bumped into someone and that collision had caused coffee to spill on both their clothing. She had been quick to pull out her handkerchief and apology but that was when he started calling her all sorts of names which made her yell back at him. The two had spent nearly ten minutes yelling at each other before she noticed the time and took off running for work. Unbeknownst to her that was the starting points of their little meetings. _

_"Of course I am. I'll say it as many times until you understand, I'm not going to let it go until I get a proper apology." He said, crossing his arms and trying his best to look intimidating and not show just how exhausted he was starting to feel. "But of course I am a reasonable man and if you find some way to make it up to me I'll forgive you." He grinned at his plan, thinking what he was doing was genius. _

_"You're really weird, you know that." She took another sip of her hot chocolate to keep herself from laughing when she saw the annoyed look on his face appear as it always does. It didn't take much to get on this guys nerves and she was finding it really fun seeing all the different reaction that come out of him. For a whole month they've had arguments and fights and in every story she's told she's gone into excellent details about the faces he makes when she gets a reaction out of him. Since she always saw him right before work she always had a good story for Yuuki but something her friend had said during her last story just popped up in her mind. "You know, I just realized that I don't know your name," she couldn't believe she had just realized this now. In the entire month they had been meeting up to argue and in all her story telling about it the thought somehow never crossed her that she never knew his name. She hadn't thought to ask because they were always caught up in their fights and usually called it each by mean little nicknames. He seemed to enjoy calling her little girlie while she stuck with calling him an idiot since it seemed to fit him so much. "I know it's a little late but I'm Tsukushi Makino." _

_By the wide eyes and the flush on his cheeks the thought apparently never reached him either. But that quickly disappear and in its place a proud look came about. "I suppose it'll good for you to know me by my name. This way you'll truly be able to understand my greatness," He boosted, a chuckle escaping him that made her want to smack him silly. "I'm Tsukasa D-" _

_"Dorkenstein." From across the cafe was a couple that seemed amused with their conversation and choice of clothing. Both were smirking and seemed amused that their insults had reached them. As much as Tsukushi wanted to go over there and tell them off even she knew it wouldn't do any good. Besides it wasn't like she didn't get why they were making fun of them. She knew they looked strange compared to the rest of the people in the cafe. There she was wearing an old grey sweatshirt, plaid pajama bottoms with old worn out snow boots and a jacket that seemed to swallow her small frame while the man sitting before her was wearing a red turtleneck with her pink scarf still resting around his neck. Honestly if she saw people dressed the way they were she would probably point and stare too. But she would never go as far as openly insulting them in a public space. There's a different between being curious and being rude. _

_The man in front of her now known as Tsukasa looked just as amused as she was. He sent the two a mean look, a cold glare that made the couple shiver and start to sweat. Even Tsukushi had to admit his look was kind of scary. He pushed out his chair and got onto his two feet, his eyes never leaving the couple that now looked very frightened at the confrontation that was to come. Tsukushi grabbed his hand before he could move and make a scene. "Don't," she was standing herself now, making sure to keep him in place before he could do anything. "They're not worth it." She said, making sure her voice was even and firm. She had to show him that she meant business. She knew without a doubt if he tried she couldn't stop him but she had to at least try._

_He stared at her. He seemed almost shocked that she was stopping him. His cheeks turned a soft pink before he mumbled something incomprehensible under his breath as he sat back down. She sighed with relief, happy that she was able to avoid any trouble. Looking over she saw the couple was making another gesture over at them, no doubt making another joke at their expense. She glared at the two and flipped them off. Just because she didn't want a fight doesn't mean she was going to just sit there and let others continuously make fun of the two of them. The couple gasped, no doubt taken back by her behavior and finally got up to leave. She was pleased to watch them go. _

_Tsukasa chuckled in his seat. "Looks like the little girlie still has some fight in her. Good to know." He grinned, his cheek now resting in his hand as he leaned against the table. The exhaustion he felt from before was still there but he found that what was happening now was much to fun to leave. "And here I was thinking you had gone soft." _

_She rolled her eyes at the nickname he had given her. Figures that even after she tells him her name he would still call her by that stupid name. "As if. Just because I'm sick doesn't mean I'm going to let people like them look down on me and get away with that."_

_"Oh, and tell me what kind of people would they be." Tsukasa asked, intrigued to see what would come out of her mouth. She was a strange girl but she always said the most interesting thing. _

_Tsukushi took hold of her cup, the liquid had cooled down some but it was still doing the job of warming her up. "That's easy, they're the type I can't stand the most," she finished off the rest of her drink with one gulp and slammed the empty cup on the table. "The rich kind." _

_Tsukasa sat there, a blank look on his face as his brain tried to process what she just said. "Huh?!" it couldn't. He lost his balance, nearly falling face first onto the table but he caught himself just in time. "Just what do you mean by that?"_

_She raised an eyebrow at his strange behavior but nonetheless crossed her answers as she thought about how to phrase this. "I know it sounds weird but hear me out. People who have money think they're so special and that they're above the rules. I saw the clothing those two were wearing and could tell instantly what kind of people they were. The kind who think they're better than everyone else just because they have the money to buy stuff. There's a kid who goes to my school that acts like he's some kind of superstar just because his father works for some big shot company and makes good money. I swear rich people piss me off the most with their haughty attitude and using their money to do whatever they want." She huffed once she was finished. She had to admit that she felt a lot better now that she had gotten that off her chest. "Anyway, let's forgot about those jerks and go back to-huh?" _

_She hadn't noticed it during her rant but Tsukasa had gone perfectly still and looked uncomfortable. His eyes were wide and lips tight as if he was trying to suck them right off his face. His had gone pale, the coloring on his face looked almost white and he looked like he was sweating bullets. _

_"Hey, are you ok?" she asked, worried that his fever might have gotten worse. _

_His movements were slow and almost robotic as he laid his head on the table. "Yeah, just feeling a little tired." His voice was low and defeated, almost like he had come back from a marathon and had come in second. "Rich people sure to do suck." He said with a soft chuckle although it sounded more like a mixture of laughing and cry than anything else and it had everyone in the cafe cringing. He let out a long sigh but it was instantly sucked back in when he felt her hand on his forehead. With great speed he sat back up and cursed the blush that kept appearing on his face. _

_"You're burning up. You really should go see a doctor." she was worried about him and his strange behavior. He had been waiting outside in the snow for four hours and it was a miracle that he's not in the emergency room. _

_He didn't say anything at first. His eyes looked into her and he felt his face grow hotter when he saw the worry shining in her eyes. She was truly concerned about him. Looking away before she could see just how bad his blush had become he scoffed and leaned forward, pressing one hand against her forehead. "Stupid, you have a fever too. How about showing some concern for yourself before you start worrying about others." _

_Her own cheeks had turned a light shade of pink but she didn't let it bother her. Standing up she pulled out her wallet before he could even take his out. "Here, I'll pay for you. After all it's not every day a guy waits four hours for me in the middle of winter." It may be the fever taking over but she was flirting with him and didn't feel as embarrassed as she thought she would. _

_He still seemed a little off, his eyes held a distant look to them but he didn't argue with her and took out his cell. "Alright, I'll call us a cab." _

_With that settled she looked into her wallet to count her bills and inwardly winced when she saw that this would nearly drain her of her allowance. But she owed him and no way was she going to let him pay for her after everything. "Oh wait," she nearly walked away when she remember something important. "You never told me your name." they had been interrupted before he could finish. _

_He froze again, the coloring draining from his face again. "What do you mean? I told you my name is Tsukasa. Stupid, you need to listen better. Are you ears full of warts?" he laughed at his joke and made everyone in the cafe look at him as if he had two heads. _

_"The expression is ears full of wax," she sighed. She wasn't sure what was worst, that he still continued to get his words mixed up or that she had gotten used to him speaking like this. Over the month he's said expressions wrong many times and she had corrected him each and every time. "And I wasn't able to hear your full name. So come on, tell me." She didn't know him well enough yet to only call him by his first name. This was only their first conversation that wasn't solely made up of insults and mean words. _

_He gulped. "Uh..." his behavior was really starting to worry her and she wondered if maybe she really should take him to the hospital to get his brain checked out. "Daidouji!" he suddenly shouted, catching her off guard once more. "Yeah, that's it. My name is Tsukasa Daidouji." He had a big grin on his face as he shouted about his name. _

_It had to be the weirdest introduction she has ever had in her entire life but then again they were pretty weird themselves. "It's nice to know you, Daidouji." She extended her hand for him to shake. They had become a lot friendlier now and hoped they could continue to do so. _

_He returned the gesture by placing his much larder hand in her. "You too, Makino." He smiled up at her, his face no longer showing any signs of discomfort but now seemed rather peaceful. This made her smile, thankful that he was back to his old self. _

_She walked away after that to pay for their bill and tried not to cry when she saw her nearly empty wallet. She had hoped once she got over her cold she could go shopping with Yuuki but after this and then paying for the cab ride home it doesn't look like she'll be going shopping anytime soon. With a low sigh she turned back around but saw that Tsukasa was no longer in the cafe. "Where'd he go?" she looked all around and wondered if maybe he went to the bathroom when she spotted his tall figure standing outside. Quickly she rushed out after him. "What are you doing?" she stuck her finger against his chest and scolded him as if he was a young child that had walked away from their mother. "You have a fever and you gave me your coat, you shouldn't even be outside. You're only going to make yourself sicker." _

_He pushed her hand away from his chest. "Shut up," it was obvious he was annoyed with how she was talking to him. "I swear all you ever do is yell." He grumbled, reaching into a plastic bag that she hadn't noticed he was holding. He pulled out black and yellow walkie-talkie and handed it to her. She held the small device in her hand, looking over the old toy that she had only ever used if she went over a friend's house. She looked back up at him, silently asking him what exactly he was doing. "You said you don't have a cell, right?" he wasn't so much as asking as confirming about what she had said earlier. She could only nod, still confused about what was going on. "Well until you get one we'll use these to communicate with each other." He said as he held the other one in his hand. _

_Tsukushi wasn't really sure what to do. This was so strange, a guy that has been basically harassing her for a month just spent his day waiting for her in the cold snow, defended her against people who made fun of her appearance, and had now offered her a means to communicate with him. Everything that was happening seemed so surreal. _

_He flicked her forehead again when he saw the weird look that was forming on her face. "I told you I'm not going to stop until you properly apologize to me. My time is very valuable and I refuse to spend another four hours waiting in the cold so until you get a cell I got us these. Next time you're sick or running late use this to let me know," he all but shoved the device he held in her face but she didn't let it bother her or the fact that he was practically ordering her around. "You hear me. You better contact me or else I'll-!"_

_She laughed. She let out a large whole hearted laugh that she hasn't felt in ages. She held her stomach as she doubled over from how hard she was laughing. "You're so weird." She said had to lean against him to keep herself from falling to the ground but she managed to smile up at him and thank him for buying the device for her. _

_Between her laughing and the few tears that had come from just how much she laughed she could see his pale cheeks turn a bright shade of red that she knew had nothing to do with the cold he now had. "You're the weird one. Laughing like some kind of maniac in public." He grumbled, trying his best to look annoyed at what she was doing but he didn't push her away. _

_The cab pulled up shortly after that and Tsukushi got in first, making sure to move all the way to the end to give Tsukasa plenty of room. He was a big guy and she was sure he would need plenty of leg room. Only instead of following in after her he leaned over to the driver's side of the window whispered something to him. Once that was finished he poked his head into the cab. "I already paid for this cab so you don't have to worry about money. Just go home and get some rest." He removed her pink scarf from his neck and wrapped it back around her neck. _

_She was kind of surprised by his behavior. She hadn't expected him to have such a gentle side. She was also a little disappointed that he wasn't getting in with her. "But what about you?" _

_"I've already arranged for ride to pick me up and take me to the hospital. Need to make sure that I don't have pneumonia thanks to a certain someone." If he was trying to make her feel bad he wasn't doing a very good job because of the amused smile he was wearing on his face. _

_"Oh, ok." She understood that. It was probably for the best that he got himself checked out by a doctor. She was sure if she didn't get home soon herself she would make her cold even worse than it was. She shivered at the cold wind that was coming into the warm car and pulled the jacket she wore closer to her body when she realized that it wasn't hers. "Hang on, I still have your jacket." She rushed to take it off and give it back to him but he stopped her. _

_"Keep it." He left no rooms for arguments. He shut the door and the taxi she was in drove off before she could do anything. She looked out at him through the back window, he was watching her with a hand raised to wave goodbye. She returned the gesture. _

_True to his words the ride had been paid for and all she had to worry about was going home to her parents. They had berated her the moment she walked in the door, demanding to know where she had been for so long and why she would rush off in the middle of winter when she was sick and why she was wearing a guy's coat. She wasn't really sure what to tell them so she merely said she was taking care of some business and ran to her room. She all but dove into her futon, loving the warmth that embraced her chilled body. She still wore his coat, telling herself it was only because it was helping her stay warm since their house had such bad heating but deep down she knew that wasn't it. Reaching into the pocket she pulled out the small walkie-talkie, her finger tracing the smooth surface and the design of it. She's never met a person like him before. He was so infuriating but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't get him out of her mind. He seemed to get a kick out of getting her mad and had more than once pissed her off enough to punch him. If these were normal circumstances she wouldn't let him get to her and completely ignore him until he got the hint and left her alone. But these were normal circumstances. Something was different about him and about her, she felt different when she was with him. In her ordinary everyday life he made things topsy-turvy and it both frightened and excited her. She licked her lips, her heart was beating so strong in her chest she wondered if she would pass out. She felt scared and nervous and anxious but also very eager to use this small toy. She shook her head and with some hesitation pressed the button that would make it work. She needed to do this fast before she chickened out. "Daidouji?" she whispered his name softly, she felt stupid and shy for doing this but she just felt like she had too. _

_For a single moment she received no reply and it felt like her heart had gone cold and still. But when she heard the static it felt like summer had come. _

_**"Yeah? What do you want?" **_

_She froze. What did she want. She wasn't really sure what to say because she hadn't planned on what she was going to say if he picked up. Sure she hoped that he would but as for what they would talk about she was a total blank. She had been so focused on gathering up the courage to do this that she never gave thought about what kind of conversation they would have. "Um...just wanted to let you know that I was home. How about you?" _

_**"Yeah, I'm in my room now."**_

_"I see," she felt slightly embarrassed at this. She never called a guy before and hearing he was in his room made her face flush. "How are you feeling?"_

_**"Fine." **_

_He wasn't saying much and it was making her even more self conscious. It almost sounded like he was disinterested in their conversation but at the cafe he acted as if he enjoyed talking with her. Had she misunderstood? What if she was just making a fool of herself? Her head was starting to hurt with all these thoughts. Why can't anything in life be simple and maybe come with and instruction manual._

_**"How about you?" **_

_She felt her heart flutter but quickly shook her head, reminding herself that she couldn't jump the gun. "W-What do you mean?" _

_**"I'm asking if you're feeling any better little girlie." **_

_Why hearing such an annoying nickname made her feel so good was something she would probably never understand but no way was she going to tell him that the name was starting to grow on her. "I'm feeling ok. Just a little tired." _

_**"So shut up and go to sleep before you get worse. I still say you're crazy for going out in the middle of winter with a cold and in nothing but pajamas."**_

_An eye twitched at his tone of voice and his insult. "This coming from the guy who waited four hours in the snow." She didn't enjoy being scolded, especially since he all but did the same thing. When she didn't hear a reply right away she was worried she had offended him, he seemed to get upset easily over some things but once more the static coming through told her she didn't need to worry. _

_**"Good night, Makino." **_

_"Good night, Daidouji." She whispered softly into the device, taking her finger softly off the button and bringing it close to her chest. They didn't say it but there was a silent hidden message that they would talk again tomorrow. _

_That's how she fell asleep that night. With the walkie-talkie held close to her chest with his coat covering her body and a smile on her face. _

_**~X~**_

Tsukushi hummed a light tune to herself as she dressed out of her work uniform and into her casual clothes. A happy sigh as she let loose her long hair out of its ponytail and put on her long tan winter coat. "See you tomorrow, Yuuki." Bidding her best friend a good night she raced out of her workplace and onto the busy streets of her hometown. A little more than ten minutes had passed but there he was, leaning against the building and trying his best to give her an annoyed look.

"I swear you're the slowest person I have ever met," he leaned down so his face was right in front of hers and held up his wrist that had his watch strapped on for her to look at the time. "I said I'd only wait ten minutes but because I'm such a good boyfriend I waited an extra two minutes. Now how are you going to repay me for my good deed?" he grinned at her, issuing another challenge against her and was eager to see what she would do. He was betting on her calling him some strange name that she always comes up with.

Looking into his eyes she saw the excitement he felt but beyond that she saw something else. Something she hadn't originally been able to name but now she could see it clearly. She hadn't known what to call it back then but that was because it was still developing. In his eyes she saw his true feelings, the love he felt for her and the love that she felt for him. Despite him leaning down towards her she still had to stand on the tips of her toes for her to kiss his cheek. "You're so stupid." She walked away, knowing that once he composed himself he would follow.

His entire face was flushed a soft pink, a goofy grin was just starting to form on his face when he remembered he was in public. Straightening out his body he turned around and in three long strides caught up with her, wrapping an arm around her and making her small body lean into his. "As if I'm going to be satisfied with just a peck on the cheek." He grumbled, trying his best to now show just how happy he was. They kissed many times before now but it was usually him that always initiated the affection. But there were those rare few times when it was her who started it and he always held those special moments in highest regards when it came to his memoires.

She laughed, reaching up so to the hand that held her and intertwined their fingers as she rested her head against his chest. "Tell you what, I'll make it up to you on your birthday." He would be turning eighteen next Sunday, which meant she only had a few days left to finish his gift.

Tsukasa looked down at his girlfriend, she barely reached his shoulders but she always seemed to fit perfectly in his arms. She was so small but she had so much life and spirit in her that he sometimes forgot just how fragile she could be until he held her in his arms. He loved being able to hold her close, his arms could wrap around her small frame with ease and each time he did he wished he never had to let go. She was like an addiction, he always wanted her to be with him but at the same time he knew she needed to live her own life and that there would be times when he couldn't always be at her side. No matter how much he wanted to be. But it was what made moments like this so special. Moments that were shared and meant only for the two of them. Sure they still embraced and kissed if there were others with them but when it was just them those hugs and kisses turned into something more. Leaning down he kissed the top of her head, a smile that was hidden by her brown locks appeared on his face at her surprise. "I'll hold you too it."

They didn't say anymore after that. They continued to walk on to the bus stop where they would ride until they reached her street to continue on their stroll that would lead to her house. He walked her home every night, always taking the longest roads to get there. Tsukushi said it was because it was cheaper and Tsukasa said he enjoyed the exercise but both knew that even without having to actually say it out loud the real reason they took the long way was because they wanted to spend as much time together as they could. They still met up every day on her way to work and talked on the phone during their breaks at school, when she was on a break at work, and always right before they feel asleep. There were many night when they fell asleep while talking and Tsukushi always scolded him for this because of the phone bill but that hadn't stopped her from calling him at night. She had finally bought a cell phone so they no longer used the walkie-talkies he had bought for them but they always kept them with them. Tsukushi kept hers in her purse and Tsukasa had his in one of his pockets. She still had his jacket tucked away in her closet and on the really cold nights she would go to sleep wearing it. Though she's never spoken this out loud somehow he knew she did it and teased her restlessly about it. Even though his teasing bothered her she could never bring herself to give back the jacket because it was special to her. That night as she fell asleep wearing it one lone thought had crept into her mind. _"I could fall in love with this man." _


	2. Chapter 2

The chatter of high school students could be heard throughout the school as many of the students enjoyed their free period. Many chose this time to finish homework they forgot to do or to laze around before they were forced to return to the stressful nature of studying but many used this time to gather with their friends, eat their lunches, and talk about their lives. This was the typical high school life and it was one Tsukushi had worked hard for. She purposely went against her parent's desire, not that she'd ever tell them that, to go to this public high school with all her old friends from middle school and to have a nice ordinary life. Sure some days she wished for some kind of excitement to happen but she was happy with how her life was. She was in her second year of high school, had a good paying job for the time being, had great friends, and was in a loving relationship with her boyfriend of one year. She couldn't have asked for anything more.

Well that's not true. She did wish for something and that was a bigger paycheck. In just a few days Tsukasa would be turning eighteen and she wanted to do something special. She already had her present ready, a red scarf she had knitted herself and used gold letting to add in his initials and gold trimmings. It took her nearly two weeks to finish and while she was proud of her work she was still embarrassed that that was all she could give him. It wasn't like she had the money to go out and buy him something. Not that she even knew what to shop for. He wasn't the easiest person to shop for. Whenever they did go out shopping he would always say none of the clothes in the store were his style and refused to try on anything she picked out. He did have a good sense of fashion, and for a guy that was saying something, but it made things like buying him a present that much more difficult. It didn't help that for her birthday last month he bought her a Saturn necklace with her birthstone. She nearly passed out when she saw the piece of jewelry, something like that had to be expensive and if he hadn't told her that he got a good deal on it because he bought it from a family friend she would have demanded that he return it and spend his money on something important. Her hand reached up to grasps the necklace that hung around her neck. She's worn it every day since he gave it to her. It made her smile every time she saw it because it made her think of him and in doing so that would cause her to blush and laugh like some lunatic.

"You're thinking about Daidouji-san, aren't you." Yuuki sat down in front of her best friend. She giggled when she saw her friend's blushing goofy face. "You always act like this when you do."

Tsukushi felt her blush deepen. "Ok, you caught me." There wasn't any point in denying it. She has been caught numerous times in the act before. Pretty much everyone in her friend group knew that when she started acting like that it meant there was only one thing on her mind. Or rather, one person.

Yuuki giggled, she was glad to see her best friend looking so happy. The two of them have been together since kindergarten and her family has been through many ups and downs over the years because of money. Tsukushi had been forced to grow up faster than the rest of them so it was nice to see her so relaxed and happy. "So you gonna tell me what you were thinking about? I already know it's about Daidouji-san but you know how much I enjoy a good story." She teased her with a wink. She realized her friend's feelings for the guy long before she herself had. She could tell that she was falling for him from the way she would describe in all her stories. She went into so much detail about his hair, behavior, and attitude that it was obvious she was feeling so much more for him then she was letting on.

"I'm actually thinking about what I'm going to do for his birthday," she reached into her bag and pulled out a cooking magazine. "I found this great recipe to make a coffee cake and since the supermarket is having a sale today I need to hurry over once school is out," She flipped to the page that held the recipe she wanted to use and hoped that he would like what she made him. "That reminds me. Do you mind if I come over and use your oven? We don't have one at my house and I need to make his cake by tomorrow afternoon." All they had was a grill to make fish on and no way was she giving him a fish cake.

Yuuki titled her head to the side, confused at this. "I don't mind but why do you need it for tomorrow? I thought his birthday wasn't until Sunday. Tomorrow is Saturday."

"Yeah, but we can't meet up on his actual birthday," she sighed, a slight frown coming onto her face as she spoke. "Apparently his family throws him some kind of dinner every year and he can't get out of it so we decided we would celebrate his birthday the day before." She had to say she was really disappointed that she couldn't spend time with him on his actual birthday. His reasoning behind it was understandable and she didn't push any further since he didn't have the best relationship with his family but it still bothered her. She didn't want it too but it did and that bothered her even more. When did she turn into some spoiled brat that got upset just because she couldn't spend the actual day with him. They could make the day before just as special. _"Maybe it's because we never get to celebrate the actual holidays." _It was the one thing that bothered her about her relationship with Tsukasa. They had been going out for a year but they hadn't been able to spend any time together during the holidays that were all but made for couples. He always said he had to spend it with his family and while she understood that family was important she wished she could at least celebrate with him on the actual day. _"If he would just introduce me to his family." _That was another thing that bothered her. They've been going out for a year but she has yet to meet his family or even his friends. He's had dinner over her house hundreds of times and met with her parents and little brother within the first month of them dating and he occasionally hangs out with her and her group of friends . But whenever she asks about meeting his family or friends he always made up some excuse about why she shouldn't. This made her feel self-conscious and wondered if maybe he was ashamed to be dating someone like her. She only voiced her opinions once and it brought out a reaction she hadn't expected.

_**~X~**_

_Tsukushi had to keep herself some shaking. She gulped as they neared a local apartment complex, her eyes growing wide with awe when she saw how nice it looked. It was definitely a step up from her house or rather five steps up. She was going with Tsukasa to see his apartment. They've been together for three months but he was always coming to either her house or taking them out on the town to go out. So after some complaining and a little bit of pleading a bribing she got him to agree to bring her to his house. He lived by him in a one bedroom apartment on the fourth floor, apartment number F4. She had memorized those two syllables ever since he first told her where he lived. She had to admit she was really curious to see what his living space was like and had been pretty excited until a sudden thought hit her. She was going to all alone with Tsukasa in his apartment. _

_Nerves overtook her whole body and because of that one stupid thought she was now freaking out. They've been going for three months and she was the one who insisted on seeing his apartment so did that mean he now thought she wanted to have sex with him? Most of her friends said that it was normal for people to do it after dating for this long but she still wasn't ready for it. She really did like Tsukasa, maybe even love him, she was still trying to sort out her feelings. She thought she might but be but then again she wasn't really sure. She's never been in love before so it wasn't like she had anything to base it off of, but if she had to imagine how it felt she was sure it had to be something close to what she felt when she was with him. She always felt so carefree when she was with him but at the same time she was also extremely insecure. _

_To her it was like balancing on the tip of a large mountain and one wrong move and she would go plummeting down to the hard rocky ground. It was certainly a strange description to base love off of but it felt right to her. But even if she did feel that way didn't mean she was ready to take the next step. They only just started calling each other by their first names and even doing that made her stutter and blush. He did the same as well when he said her first name but somehow he made it look cute. She felt like an idiot every time she tried stuttering out the characters of his name. _

_"Well here it is." His voice pulled her out of her thoughts. There they were, standing in front of his apartment door. F4. She gulped when he put the key in and gestured for her to go inside. She walked inside with some hesitant but she told herself that this was her idea and she needed to get a grip. She wanted to know more about his life and living style. He hardly ever talked about his life and this was a chance for her to get a look into his world. _

_He told her his apartment was a one bedroom style but it had a nice sized living room with a white couch in the center, a coffee table and TV resting in front of the couch. A connecting kitchen to her left looked like it had never been used before. He must order out a lot for the kitchen to look like that. "You apartment is really nice." She had to admit she was a little jealous that he had such a nice place all to himself. What she wouldn't do if her family could live in a place like this. It would certainly make her life a lot easier. "Although it doesn't look like you spend a lot of time here." She added, taking another look around the place. The room was simple, maybe a little too simple. _

_Tsukasa stiffened up. He had been standing behind her, enjoying the look of wonder that came on her face as she looked all around his place. Her question however had caught him off guard. "Uh...what do you mean by that?" _

_She stood in the middle of the room, examining the area around her more closely. "Well for one thing you don't have any decorations," she gestured to the empty walls that made the place seem almost empty. "Normally you'd have some books or movies lying around the place. Unless you keep all that stuff in your bedroom. But you should at least have some pictures displayed." She scrunched her face up. There was something weird about his apartment, something he wasn't telling her. She looked at him, studying his tense posture and uneasy look that was now on his face. He was definitely hiding something. _

_"I have pictures." He said, pointing to the one small frame that was resting on a mantle above the television. It was a picture of the two of them that had been taken on their first date. _

_They had gone to a nice restaurant but it was a little too expensive for her taste and he ended up paying for everything. She felt bad about it and he was annoyed that she hadn't enjoyed it since he specially picked the place out. The rest of their date had been awkward and they walked around the town in silence. To her it felt like hours had passed since they last spoke to each other but whenever she tried starting up a conversation he would only give her one word answers. It was obvious he was upset but his childish behavior wasn't helping any. It was then she saw a photo booth and made him come inside with her. It was just the thing they needed to get them out of their rut. Tsukasa apparently had never been inside one before so their first picture was of her smiling and him staring at the camera in confusion. The second photo was of him covering his eyes and her laughing at him. The third pictures they weren't even facing the camera because they were arguing with each other. But the fourth and final picture was their favorite. She had finally managed to calm him down and explain what was going on just in time for him to wrap his arms around her as she made the peace sign, both of them smiling together this time. _

_She had her displayed in her room too. After all it was their first picture taken together and she felt it showed off their relationship perfectly. But it was still weird that it was only thing he had for decoration in his room. "One picture doesn't count. You should have some of your friends or family. Hell even a poster of a band would do," she turned back around to face him, arms crossed over her chest as she raised an eyebrow. "Is this apartment even yours?" was this some kind of game he was playing. One of her friends from school said her boyfriend had asked a buddy of his to pretend to use their apartment as his own so he could sleep with her friend. The girl only found out the place wasn't his when the guy's friend pet lizard escaped and had them both running for the hills. Was it possible Tsukasa was trying to pull the same trick? _

_His face tensed up again but that didn't help her figure out if he was guilty or not. He was always tense and angry half the time. "Of course it's mine. I just bought it last week!" by the look on his face it was obvious he had said something he hadn't met to say. _

_"Last week?" she could feel the gears starting to turn in her head. Last week was when she had been at him to show her his place. She had thought it was strange that he was acting so strange whenever she brought up the subject but now she understood why. "Oh, I get it." _

_He gulped. "You do?" _

_She nodded, a soft smile coming onto her face. "If you were moving out of your parent's house why didn't you just tell me? Now I feel bad for all the whining I did last week." If she had known the truth then she wouldn't have made such a big deal about seeing his place when he was still in the process of moving. She would have even offered to help him. _

_"Huh?" he looked confused again but quickly recovered when he thought of what she said. "Oh! Well you know...I wanted it to be a surprise." He grinned, shrugging his shoulders, trying to act nonchalant about the whole thing. She smiled at him and returned to looking around the place, missing the sigh of relief that escaped him once her back was turned. _

_Tsukushi had to say that despite the place being new it was starting to feel homey. She was sure that he just needed to add in a few personal touches and the next time she came over the place would be a lot nicer. Her eyes wandered over the room and she smiled when she saw the balcony that was to her right. She quickly rushed over and threw open the glass doors. "Your view is amazing." She said as he followed her out onto the balcony. The wind blew by, making her hair whip all around but it felt nice. Winter had just ended so there was still a hint of a chill in the air but she could smell the scent of spring with it. _

_He felt a smile of his own come onto his face. The view of the city was the main reason he had chose this place. Because he knew that she would love it. Leaning against the railing he looked over at her. His eyes glazed over when he saw her happy smile that played on her pink lips, the soft giggles that escaped her as the wind that blew past tickled her skin, the way her hair floated around her face gave her an angelic look but what he found himself staring at the most were her eyes. They were the same color as his but hers reflected the beauty of life in them. As he looked at them it was as if they were glowing with joy and he was happy to know that he was the one who gave her that look. "It is."_

_She raised an eyebrow at him. "You're not even looking." She pouted, slightly embarrassed that she was the only one enjoying this and making such a fuss of things. _

_He felt his smile grow when he saw her face. "I'm fine with just looking at you." His words were true. He could go about his entire day by just looking at her and be happy. _

_Her heart skipped a beat. She felt it the moment he said those words while looking straight at her. She had to look away as her face turned red but a goofy smile started to form too, somehow he always makes her feel shy and excited at the same time. He looked so content with himself, like he could spend all day here with her and not have a care in the world. If she was being honest she felt the same. It was only when it was just the two of them did she see a different side of him. A side he never showed when they were in public but would only show her when they were alone and together. She looked back at the apartment behind her, a content smile of her own on her face. There was something about being here with him that made her heart skip. There wasn't anyone to judge them or her parents to come in and interrupt them. It was just the two of them. _

_She felt her face grow hot again. Why did she have to keep thinking about that? She really needed to stop thinking like this. They were having such a nice moment and she had to go and ruin it by thinking about sex. But what if she needed to? What if he really was planning on taking their relationship to the next level? _

_Tsukasa noticed the change in her behavior. She looked like her mind was elsewhere and hadn't even noticed that he stood up and was standing right next to her. "Is something wrong?" One moment ago she was smiling and now she looked nervous, like she thought he was going to throw her over the railing. _

_She felt his hot breath hitting her ear and squeaked. It had been enough to wake her from her daze but now she wished he had just left her there. She would have preferred to have remained a statue then do what she just did. She couldn't believe she just made such a noise like that. It was so embarrassing and it made her wish the ground would swallow her up. _

_Tsukasa was just as taken back as she was by the noise she made. "Are you sick or something? You're acting weird." He glared at her, wanting some kind of explanation for her strange behavior. _

_She felt her face heat up and she had to look away. What was she supposed to say? That she was nervous because she thought he wanted to have sex and she didn't. He might not even be thinking about that sort of thing and she could just be overreacting. Then again he was a teenage boy with hormones so it was really unlikely that having sex wasn't on his mind. But it wasn't like she could say that. No way, it was too embarrassing. She'd rather him think she was crazy then know what was really going on inside her brain. _

_"Hey, answer me!" he all but yelled out when she just stood there and didn't give him any type of response. He didn't like to be ignored, especially by her. She tried the silent treatment with him once and it nearly drove him crazy. She was the type of girl that had no qualms about speaking her mind. It was one of things that made him so attracted to her. She wasn't afraid to tell people what she was really thinking if they pissed her off and every time she challenged him it made his heart skip a beat. So seeing her acting so unlike herself was pissing him off. "Quit acting so stupid and just say something. Hello! Anybody home! Tsukushi! Little girlie!" he kept yelling as he softly knocked on her head to try and get some kind of response from her. _

_Tsukushi could feel not only her resolve weakening but it was being completely taken over by her anger. She was not amused with his little display of him screaming in her face and knocking on her skull, which was now starting to hurt. She was reaching her breaking point. "I don't want to have sex!" she finally had enough and yelled out her true feelings. Her face flushed from both embarrassment and the sudden scream she unleashed. _

_Her brown eyes were wide but not as wide as Tsukasa's who had gone perfectly still. He was staring at her with a blank look on his face. He always got this way when she did something he didn't understand at first. His hand that remained on top of her head began to shake, as well as his entire body with sweat rolling down his face and a blush exploding onto his cheeks. "What!?" he jumped back, pressing up against the glass doors as if she had just tried to attack him. He was panting, the blush he had seemed to be glowing brighter and brighter with each passing second. "Just what the hell are you saying? Are you some kind of pervert or something?" _

_Tsukushi felt her own blush grow at his accusation. "No, I was just told that this kind of situation is usually one where most people have sex." She needed to clear things up before things got out of hand. She wasn't ready to sleep with him but by his reaction and her strange words it made it seem like she would attack at any moment. _

_"Says who?" he cried. He wanted to know what exactly had gotten into her. She was not the type of girl to suggest something like this so early in the relationship. A sudden thought occurred to him and it worried him senseless. He put two hands on her shoulders and drew his face in closer to hers. "Did Akira and Soujirou tell you that?" he demanded, searching her eyes to see if she would lie to him. He knew he was being paranoid but you could never be too careful. _

_The only thing he saw was confusion. "Who?" she's doesn't know anyone by those names and she's never heard him mention them either. Then again he really didn't talk much about his personal life. _

_He froze, eyes going back to their widen state from before. "Oh, nothing. Forget I said anything." He turned his back to her, hands grabbing at his hair as he muttered something to himself. She couldn't understand what he was saying but by his tone it sounded almost like he was scolding himself. _

_This made her annoyed and also suspicious. She didn't know who those two people were that he just named but it was obvious he had been worried about them speaking with her. "Are they your friends?" her voice had caught him off guard and he stumbled to turn back to look at her and he winced when he saw the look on her face. "So are they or aren't they?" _

_He gulped, eyes looking away from her gaze that was all but burning a hole into his head. "Um..." he wasn't sure what to do and her looking at him like he was some kind of criminal wasn't helping. Finally he sighed with defeat and answered her. "Yeah, they are. We grew up together." He rubbed the back of his head as he spoke. It felt weird talking about himself too her. Usually he tried to avoid the topic of his life and so far he had been doing a pretty good job at it. _

_His reply only made her angrier. "And why exactly are you so freaked out about them talking to me when you haven't even introduced me to them yet?" this was not how she was anticipating her day to go. She was expecting she would go over his house, order a pizza, watch a movie as they cuddled together on the couch and maybe kiss a few times before he walked her back home. She wanted to make her first trip to his house a happy experience but now she was too wired up on her worries and anger to enjoy herself. "I knew it. You're ashamed to be seen with someone like me!" she pointed an accusing finger at him. _

_"What?" he jumped, shock and anger coming onto his face at her words. "That's not it. I'm not ashamed of you." _

_She wasn't going to let him fool her. "Yeah right. If that's true then give me one good reason why you haven't introduced me to your friends or family yet? You've met everyone in my life so how come I still haven't anyone from yours?" she crossed her arms, foot tapping with impatience as she waited for him to answer her. But she knew he wouldn't. It was clear as day by the look on her face that he didn't want to tell her anything. With a sigh she turned her back to him, looking out at the view that not a moment ago made her heart skip but now it just made her chest ache. "Tsukasa, if you don't want to be with me then just say it." She needed to know the truth. She couldn't continue to be with a guy that didn't want to be with her as much as she wanted to be with him. She felt tears prickling at her eyes but she refused to let him see her cry. She wasn't going to give him that satisfaction. _

_Two long arms wrapped themselves around her small frame, bringing her to rest against his body. His chin resting against her shoulder as he held her tight, his grip almost desperate. She was surprised to see that he was shaking. "You're so stupid," his voice was soft with his face buried into her skin but it was speaking volumes to her. He finally looked up and she was surprised to see how angry he was with her. "Why the hell do you think I don't want to be with you? I only want you! I love you!" When he said those three worlds it felt like time had stopped for her. The world around them had grown still, even her body had shut down. All that was running was her heart. He returned to burying his head in shoulder. She noticed the tips of his ears had turned pink. "I love you. I love you so much that I can't think straight. You're the one that I want. The only one that I'll ever want," with each word that he spoke it felt like her heart would jump out of her chest. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Did he really mean it? He lifted his head up again and she felt dizzy when she saw the passionate look he was giving her. It was so intense it made her body feel like weightless. "If you don't love me back then I'll make you love me. I'll chase after you and I won't stop until I catch you and make you mine." _

_She didn't doubt him. She could see it in his eyes that he wouldn't give up. He was determined to make her fall in love with him because he was in love with her. She felt her tears from before start to act up again. Wiggling around in his hold she managed to turn herself around so she could wrap her own arms around him, her face buried in his chest. The smell of his cologne engulfed her senses, making her burying her face deeper into the soft fabric of his shirt so she could get a better whiff. She wasn't sure what brand he wore but it attracted her like a moth to a frame. Taking in a deep breath she gathered herself to keep her tears from falling and with only some effort head butted his chin. A little taste of revenge on her part for making her feel so insecure before. "You're such a idiot. Who confessions to the girl they love by yelling at them?" _

_Tsukasa groaned in pain. He couldn't believe she just did that after what he just told her. "Why you little-!" _

_She stopped him before he could even begin. He was a foot taller than her so she had to stand on her toes to do what she was doing. Placing both hands on his cheeks she pulled his face down to hers and kissed him. He was caught off guard for only a moment before relaxing and returning the kiss, his hold on her resuming as she wrapped her arms around his neck. This had been the first time she was the one to start the kiss and to be doing it out on his balcony was making her blush but it was what she wanted. She pulled back only for a moment. "I love you too." She had been unsure for so long if her feelings had really turned into love. Tsukasa was her first boyfriend and many of the things they did together were strange and new to her. She wasn't sure of anything but when he told her his feelings his description was exactly how she felt. She always felt like she was going crazy whenever he was there. She always dressed with pride but at the same time secretly worried about his opinion. She hated crying in front of people but she loved it when he held her in his arms whenever she was upset. She felt both safe and anxious whenever she was in his arms. _

_He didn't reply. Instead he pulled her back in for the kiss, this one filled with much more passion. She felt his tongue run over her bottom lip and let out a gasp, unintentionally allowing him access to her mouth. She shiver when their tongues collided. Neither of them had been with another person before each other so their work was sloppy and forceful, more so on his part, but over time they began to get into the rhythm of things and Tsukushi now understood why so many people loved to kiss. It was exhilarating. All they were doing was kissing but she was feeling so much from it, almost as if all the nerves in her body had been turned all the way up. She felt so sensitive. His arms that held her were gentle but firm, his one hand held her lower back that kept her body close to his while his other hand rested on the back of her head, guiding her in the direction of the kiss. Her two arms remained locked around his neck but she had one of her gripping his shirt for support. Her feet were starting to get tired from standing on her toes for so long and she was sure his back had to been hurting by this point from bending over so much but she couldn't even think of stopping. His actions told her that he wasn't even considering it. They were caught under a spell they had place. The kiss had trapped them in each other's embrace and it seemed as if nothing would break the magic that had a hold of them. _

_"Oh my." _

_Nothing expect a mother and her young child that were standing on the balcony next to them and staring at them. Both Tsukushi and Tsukasa had finally come to a halt in their kiss and felt heat rise to their face at being caught. _

_"Mommy, how come they were trying to eat each other?" _

_At the young child's question the two of them promptly ran back inside, locking the balcony doors and shutting the curtains for good measure._

_**~X~**_

Tsukushi shook her head at the memory. After that they always made sure to check that his neighbors weren't home whenever they went outside. She wasn't sure how he managed to face them every day after that but she gave him props for doing it. She certainly wouldn't have been able to. She would have been much to embarrassed and done everything she could to avoid them.

After a couple of weeks Tsukasa had finally finished decorating his apartment and she had to say she was pleased to see it looked much more lived in than the first time she had gone over. Pictures and posters were placed on the empty walls and books lined the once empty shelves and they had taken many more pictures together since then. But one thing remained the same. He never put up any pictures of his family. She didn't want to be the girlfriend who stuck her nose into her boyfriend's life. He had told her he wasn't that close with his family and she respected that, but that didn't mean she wasn't curious. _"Oh well, there's no point in worrying about it now." _She may not understanding everything he does but she trusts him and believes that one day he'll tell her all his secrets. Until then she was going to make the most of their time together.

Reaching into her bag she pulled out her cell and noticed she had a missed message from Tsukasa. She grinned when she saw the message had been sent during her last class. He was probably acting all antsy by now. He really had no patients and despite the many times she's told him not to text her during class he continued to do so anyways. But then again he wouldn't be him if he listened to her. His message was simple and one she had been expecting. He was telling her the place and time of where they would meet up tomorrow for his pre-birthday celebration. She winced when she saw the place he picked was a well known restaurant and one way out of her price range. That was probably why he chose it. For some reason he always loved going out to eat at places that she could never afford and that had him paying for everything. She knew he had a job but he lived on his own so that meant he had a lot of bills to pay and she felt bad for making him spend money when he could use it for something much more important. She was ready to scold him as she always does when he gets careless with money when an idea hit her. She typed her reply to him and had a big smile on her face as she hit send.

The bell rang out in their school, signaling that free period was over and it was time to start classes again. Placing both her phone and book back in her bag she began to mentally make a list of everything that she would need to make Tsukasa's pre-birthday dinner the best.

**~X~**

In another part of town in a school that was designed for only a certain class of people a phone rang out in the empty halls. The chimes of a message coming through alert the three others around him that he had received a text but they didn't show much interest in that. It wasn't unusual for their friend to get messages. In the distant the sounds of students could be heard but one was very different from the rest. Cries of fear and anguish could be distinctly heard over the others but this wasn't uncommon, in fact this was just another ordinary day for them.

Tsukasa felt his heart beat to life when he heard his phone chime and quickly stood to his feet. "I'll be right back." He didn't give his friends any reason for his leaving and they didn't question it, they all figured he just had some business to take care of by himself. He walked through the halls of his school, the students that passed by all moved to the sides to give him room to walk. Some bowed to him, others tried to catch his attention, and most looked away in fear. He didn't acknowledge any of them though. He had grown used to people behaving this way around him and accepted it as a way of life. There was only one person that was different from the rest and it was the same person who had just messaged him back.

He had been waiting for her reply to come and had grown annoyed when she didn't immediately reply back. He knew she had class and was the type of student that followed the rules but that didn't mean he wished she would break them every now and then. Especially if it meant she would respond to his messages faster. When he finally reached the empty courtyard, away from the eyes of his peers did he finally relax and take out his phone. He smiled for the first time that day when he saw it was her name that flashed on his screen. He had sent her a message before about where he wanted to go and have his birthday dinner. It was an Italian restaurant that had some of the best pasta he's ever had and he wanted her to have the same experience. Of course he knew it would be way out of her price range and that was another reason why he chose it. He liked being able to spoil her. She was always saving for money and only spent it on things she considered important but that just made him want to lavish her in the luxuries of his world. He wanted her to have the world and one day he promised that he would give it to her. He had a gut feeling that her reply was some type of scolding him about spending his money and she would try to change his mind to some place cheaper. But it would take a lot to get him to change his mind. The restaurant would be the perfect place for them. It would be quiet, romantic, and the perfect setting for their date. They had grown closer in the year since they've been going out and they have been many times when it felt like they had been close to having sex but there was always something that stopped them. Usually it was because neither felt they were ready just yet but in those few times when they had lost themselves to the passion and he felt like he was about to go crazy. He's never felt this way about anyone and no one could make him feel so full of life and love like she did. She just had this special way about her that made his heart come alive.

_**"You always chose such expensive places. Save your money for something important, like bills. If you're really in the mood for Italian I can cook for you. I'm going shopping today anyway so I'll be sure to pick up something nice and make you a big birthday dinner." **_

He stared at the screen, making sure that he had read her message right. She wanted to cook him dinner? She really did have a way of surprising him and making his heart skip a beat. He hated to admit it but she had done a good job at changing his mind. As much as he would love to spoil her with an expensive meal he just couldn't pass up the chance to have her cook for him. They would be all alone in his apartment, her working away in his kitchen that always remained unused unless she was over. It made him giddy just thinking about it. The two of them would eat the meal she made by candle light as they talked about their days before moving on to desert and her giving him his present. He wasn't sure what to expect from her but it had him feeling excited just thinking about it.

But he also felt very anxious. Whenever he was with her he needed to be careful about what he said and did or else she would find out who he really was. He knew he would have a lot to answer to once he told her the truth but after being together for a year he couldn't imagine living his life without her by his side. He loved her and only her. But if he wanted to keep her in his life he knew that he needed to come clean, and that terrified him. He should have done this earlier instead of hiding it for so long. They've been together for a year and he still hasn't told her the truth about him or his life. He had many chances in the past but he was so scared of losing her once she found out. He wasn't sure if he could go on in life without her in it. She was so important to him and he had grown spoiled having her by his side. The mere thought of her leaving made his blood boil and his body tense as if he was preparing for a fight. No, he wouldn't allow it. He told her that he would chase after her and not stop until he would make her his and he was a man of his word.

The cries of students made him snap with attention and quickly shove his phone pack inside his pants pocket. His face went back to its usual stoic look that he always wore. He watched a boy ran pass with a group of students hot on his tail. It was obvious the boy was losing strength and would no doubt give up in a matter of moments but he didn't do anything to stop this. After all this was his world and in it he was the one who controlled what went on. He snorted as they passed, annoyance rushing through his veins at how eager the others were to turn against their classmates if it meant getting in good with him and his group of friends. None of the people at this school were interesting or caught his attention because they weren't her. He was positive if something like this was going on at her school she would put a stop to it.

That was another thing that worried him. If she ever found out the truth about what went on at his school he knew without a doubt she would leave him. He bit his lip at the mere thought and it had him aching to punch something to get the restless feeling out of him. He knew he would have to tell her the truth about him but this was one thing he would never tell her. He couldn't have her know anything about his life at Eitoku or else he risked losing her forever.


	3. Chapter 3

If there was one thing Tsukushi prided herself in, it was her skills at discount shopping. She's been to many supermarket sales and over the years she's perfected the art of rushing through aisle, pushing past bossy housewives, and finding the best products. She could squeeze her way between two arguing women without them even realize she was there. Grinning to herself as she held a basket full of ingredients she would use to make the pre-birthday dinner for Tsukasa. She happily moved onto the next aisle where she had sent Yuuki over to pick up from frosting. She knew she would need help carrying everything so she had asked her best friend for some help. The dinner she was planning on making didn't require much but she made sure to get the best ingredients possible. She didn't cook for him often but whenever she did she always made sure to do her best. She was confident in her cooking but at the same time she was so self-conscious every time he took a bite. She didn't know when she had turned into a girl that fussed over every little thing but she didn't mind it as much as she thought she would. She loved Tsukasa and wanted everything she did for him to be perfect. She had everything planned out to the very last detail. She would use the spare key she had to his apartment to start preparing the dinner while he was still at work and surprise him with a fully made Italian dinner and coffee cake for desert. She blushed when she thought of what kind of face he would make. He always made the best facial expressions. Doing a quick check with her phone she saw that he would probably be getting out of work soon. When she had inquired about how he could afford such a nice apartment he told her that he had an office job that paid him a good salary. She wished she could have such a nice job but the grumbling she did whenever she asked about it, told her that he didn't think the same and found the whole thing rather annoying. The thought of him being a mere office worker made her laugh because with his attitude she could picture him more as the boss of some company instead of being some run of the mill office grunt. He knew a lot about the business world and was by no means stupid, even if he still got his words mixed up.

Grabbing a packet of baking sheets she was pleased that she had finished getting everything she needed. The cake she was making would required a bit more work and it was why she was going over her friend's house to work on it. She was also planning on adding in a little extra something with his gift. She wasn't going to let him open his real birthday gift until Sunday but she wanted him to have a little something to open when they were together so she was going to add in some homemade cookies too. She was so thankful to have such a good friend like Yuuki. She felt bad for imposing on her like she was planning to do tomorrow when she used her family's oven but her friend had no qualms about it. Her only condition for letting her use the oven is for her to give every detail about the date she would have with her boyfriend. Regardless of the oven issue she was planning on telling Yuuki anyways. They tell each other everything.

Humming a soft tune to herself she entered the baking goods aisle but was surprised to see there was no sign of her best friend in sight. "Where'd she go?" she looked around, briefly wondering if her friend had gotten into a tussle with a housewife and ran off in fear. She's seen it happen before.

"I'm over here," Yuuki appeared at the end of the aisle, a giant grin on her face as she all but skipped towards her best friend.

Tsukushi wasn't sure if she liked that look. "Did you need to get something? If there are too many people you know that I can get it for you."

"No, I don't need anything," the grin on her face widen in size. "But I think you might." Reaching into the basket she carried she pulled out a small box and handed it to her friend. She then took a step back and waited for the show to start.

Once the box was in her hands she looked at it but it didn't take her long to examine what it was. "Yuuki!" brown eyes grew wide as she all but shoved the box back on the shelf before anyone noticed her holding them. "What's the big idea giving me condoms?!" She tried keeping her voice as low as she could while at the same time yelling. She couldn't believe she was just given that.

"Because it's better to be prepared," Yuuki stepped closer as a mother and her child walked down the aisle they were in. She knew this was a touchy subject for her best friend but it was something they had to talk about. "You and Daidouji-san have been together for over a year now and you've said it yourself that it feels like you're getting closer to having sex," a sudden thought occurred to her when she saw her friend's distressed face. "Do you not want to sleep with him?"

Tsukushi felt her face turn every shade of red possible. "I do," she shuffled in her spot, her shoulders moving back and forth in am embarrassed motion as she fiddled with the basket handles. "I love Tsukasa and after being with him for so long I feel like I'm ready to take the final step with him. It's just that I feel like it's the guy who's supposed to buy them," she knew she was old fashion but what just how she felt. There were just something that she felt the guys needed to do when it comes to the relationship and one of those things was buying the condoms.

"So is that why you two still haven't slept together yet?" Yuuki asked. She's heard all the stories of their times spent together and in the most recent stories it sounded like they were getting closer and closer to sleeping together. She wondered if that was the reason why they still hadn't done it yet?

Her face flushed when she thought about the subject. "Well there is one other reason..." had her reasons for why she had waited so long to sleep with her boyfriend. One of them was waiting for the right time but the other was for a rather embarrassing reason. She felt even more humiliated saying it out loud and in a public place no less. "...I don't have any nice underwear." If it was at all possible she felt her face grow even hotter and brighter than before.

Yuuki blinked, her mind processing what her friend just said and when she finally understood it she had to keep herself from laughing. "What do you mean? What exactly is nice underwear?"

Two brown eyes glared at the girl in front of her. She wasn't fooled, she could tell that her friend was trying not to laugh. "I mean like the sexy underwear you see in the magazine that all the models wear," she couldn't believe she was discussing her problem in a supermarket but she supposed that was just her life. "A lot of my bras are old or have holes in them and let's just say the last time we tried doing stuff it didn't end very well." She did a quick check to make sure no one was listening to her. She did not need this piece of information about her life to become public knowledge at her school.

"So you want new underwear that doesn't have holes in them and fits the mood?" Yuuki asked, making sure that she understood it all. With a swift nod from her friend she smiled and began to pull her to the register. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go shopping!"

"What!?" Tsukushi's cries could be heard all throughout the stores as she was pulled along by her friend. She hadn't expected their shopping trip for groceries would also turn into them shopping for underwear. She knew she needed to get some but she thought she would have more time to mentally prepare herself. _"Might as well do it now."_ She thought with a sigh as they paid for their groceries and jumped on the next bus that would take them over to the mall. She cursed her luck, now would be when the buses were actually running on time. She felt her embarrassment rise as they closer to the shopping district but she couldn't let that stop her. _"I can't let what happened last time happen again!" _

**~X~**

_The sound of thunder was what woke her up from the peaceful sleep she hadn't realized she had gone into. Groaning at the noise she snuggled closer into her pillow with every intention of going back to sleep when she realized there was a strange noise coming from her pillow. Normally she would have just shrugged it off as it being her nosy neighbors and the thins walls of her room but that wasn't it. The noise wasn't bad, in fact it was rather comforting and matched the pace that her heart was beating at. She smiled when she finally realized what the noise was and once more got back into a comfortable position to sleep when another thought hit it. _

_Pillows aren't supposed to have a heartbeat. _

_All traces of sleep left her as her eyes flew wide open around to see that she was resting on top of her boyfriend, Tsukasa Daidouji. Groggy from sleep it took her a few moments to remember how she had gotten there. They had a date planned for tonight but it had started to rain so they settled for watching a movie at his apartment. By the way the opening title was repeating over and over on the screen said they had fallen asleep some time during the film. Glancing at the clock she groaned when she saw it was already eleven. Her parents were going to kill her. Not only was it way past her curfew but she had turned her phone off during the movie so if they had been trying to reach her she wouldn't have gotten it. She needed to get home and do some damage control before they grounded her for life. _

_But that was a lot easier said than done. When she tried getting up Tsukasa's grip on her would tighten and bring her back down. He was still sleeping, his head was thrown back and all but hanging over the edge while his body was slumped over the white couch in what looked to be a not very comfortable position. Yet despite the awkward situation his body had been placed into during sleep he made no signs of waking up. To her it seemed almost like he looked pretty content staying there with her in his hold for the rest of the night. Too bad she wasn't feeling the same. She had curled up beside him when the movie had first started and she hadn't moved even while she slept. Her legs felt numb from staying in one position for so long and she winced as pins and needles ran up her legs when she moved them even the slightest bit. She placed both her hands at the center of his chest and used all her strength to push herself out of his grasp but no matter how she tried his two arms held her in place. She sighed as she was once again brought back to resting against him, the side of her face directly above his heart. She smiled as she heard the soft beat of it and halted in her attempts to leave as she remained there to listen. She snuggled in closer, her arms coming to wrap around his waist as the sound of his beating heart was starting to lull her back to sleep. Somehow in his sleep he must have felt her stop trying to escape because the arms that held her weren't holding her as tight anymore. He had one holding her waist and the other grasped her shoulder. There was no contest in which one of them was stronger, he could beat her in arm wrestling without batting an eye. She should know, she challenged him once and lost horribly. Somehow even in his unconscious state his strength was still there and it keeping her close but the way he held her with such care made her heart flutter. He was romancing her even as he slept. _

_She was really considering spending the night. They've been dating for nine months but they were taking things slow. And by slow she meant they had yet to go pass kissing. Sure they made out and held each other whenever they had the chance but they never went too far. She could tell he wanted to do more and deep in her heart she kind of did too but she was nervous. She never had a boyfriend before so everything they did was a new experience for her. But despite her nerves and anxiousness they still tried to take their relationship further, not that they got very far. If they ever fell asleep at her house her parents would always wake them up and either make him go home or have him share a room with her brother. It was nice seeing him at breakfast but she was always so embarrassed by her parent's behavior that she found she couldn't fully enjoy having him there in the mornings. Since then she always tried to keep them from going to her house at night. It wasn't that her parents didn't like Tsukasa, they thought he was a good guy and a gentlemen but they still had the delusion that she would marry a filthy rich man that would make all their problems go away. To her utter horror they had told him this straight to his face one day when they had been sitting on her bed together, her trying to do homework and him playing with her long hair. She had been mortified and swiftly pushed her mother out the door. Tsukasa had a weird expression on his face after that and she quickly did damage control before he started thinking weird thoughts. To her it didn't how much or how little money the man she married had, she wasn't going to marry him for that but because she was in love with them. She would only marry for love and nothing else. She wasn't sure why but her words had caused Tsukasa to bring her close and he wore the biggest smile on his face that she's ever seen. For the rest of the night they had stayed like that until her parents deemed it was time for him to go home but even then they had stayed awake all night talking on the phone._

_But now there were no parents monitoring their every move. No one would barge in and demand that they separate. No one to tell her that she could do better and she should go find a rich man. It was just the two of them in his apartment and it made her so happy. She loved her parents but they needed to accept that so long as she had Tsukasa in her life there would be no other man she wanted. Getting herself in a more comfortable position she closed her eyes, relaxing her body to go back to sleep and fully content with spending the night in his arms. It wasn't like this was something she didn't want. She was by no means a romantic but she always imagined herself falling asleep in the arms of the man she loved every night. And that was exactly what she was going to do. She would deal with her parents in the morning but right now she wanted to enjoy this rare moment of peace with her boyfriend. _

_That was her plan until she felt his hand go under her shirt. Her eyes flew open once more, immediately looking down at her lower back where his hand had gone under her shirt and was now resting on her skin. She shook her head, telling herself that it was fine and it was just him moving in his sleep. Casting a quick look up at her boyfriend to make sure he was still sleeping and wasn't doing this on purpose she once more relaxed herself to go back to sleep. She could handle sleeping with his hand on her back. It wasn't like this was the first time they had skin to skin contact. They may not have gone very far sexually but that didn't mean their hands hadn't wondered about when they were kissing. It was no big deal. _

_Or it wasn't until his hand started moving again. She muffled a surprised cry when she felt his hand start to move up her back, his fingers running along her spin. She cursed him for having perverted dreams and for herself for not completely hating it. Even in his sleeps he knew exactly what to do to make her mind shut down and have her heart thumping with anxiety and excitement. She moved her head to look at him, his sleeping face was all she saw but the corners of his mouth were titled upwards. Whatever he was dreaming about it was a good one. This made her eye twitch. It didn't take a genius to figure out what he was dreaming about. When his hand finally reached her bra she had decided enough was enough and without any hesitation her fist make contact with his cheek and punched herself to freedom. "Tsukasa, you pervert!" she cried, pushing down her shirt and fixing her appearance. _

_His tall body laid sprawled out on the floor, his eyes spinning from the sudden attack and his mind had yet to recognize where he was. "Nee-chan, what the hell!?" he yelled as he sat back up, holding his now aching cheek with one hand. He froze when he saw who it was that had actually hit him. He gulped at the look on her face. _

_Tsukushi felt an eyebrow raise at his sudden outburst. "Nee-chan?" she certainly hadn't expected him to call her that. She raised her other eyebrow now and looked at him suspiciously. "Just what kind of dream were you having buster?" she didn't know much about his personal life, he liked to keep things a secret but now she wondered if he had some weird fetish he wasn't telling her. If so then she would run away and never look back. _

_He felt his anger rise at her words and the accusation she was giving him. "Just what the hell are you implying?" _

_"I don't know, you tell me. Most guys I know don't shout out for their sister after having a perverted dream." She said, crossing her arms and studying him. Time to get some answers out of him. _

_He jumped to his feet, "I wasn't dreaming about my sister. I was dreaming about you!" _

_Both of them turned red at what had just come out of his mouth. "Oh," Tsukushi looked down at her lap. She had wanted an answer but she certainly hadn't been expecting that. _

_Tsukasa rubbed the back of his neck in an awkward fashion. He did feel embarrassed about suddenly shouting out such a thing but that didn't mean he was ashamed about the fact he had had a dream like that. Scoffing he sat back down on the couch next to her, arms resting against his knees as he looked at her. "The woman I love was in my arms as I slept. Of course I'm going to dream about you in that sort of manner." _

_Her head immediately shot up, face exploding from the blush because of his words. She knew he was a straightforward guy, he never had any problems about expressing himself but she never imagined he would be so open about those sort of things. He was by no means shy and was very passionate but they've never once had a talk about those sort of things. "I see..." She felt so stupid talking right now but she didn't know what she was supposed to do or say at this time. _

_Tsukasa must have noticed this because he brought her back into his hold. His one arm held her around her shoulders while he rested his chin on top of her head, his lips kissing the soft locks of her hair. "Stupid, making a face like that isn't going to make those thoughts stop." _

_She shivered as he spoke into her hair, his hot breath making her feel something strange. "So tell me..." she had to direct the conversation to another topic. She could slowly feel her mind slipping away and in their place weird feelings were starting to build up. "Why did you think I was your sister when I hit you? I mean, I've you plenty of times before and you've never mentioned her before." It was true. While he wasn't shy about showing public displays of affection she was by no means shy of hitting him when he pisses her off. _

_He groaned at her question, obviously she had killed the mood he had been trying to set. "It was a reaction. My sister used to hit me all the time growing up whenever she felt I did something stupid."_

_"I see," this had to be the most he has ever said about his personal life. Usually whenever she asks a question about his life he clams up and makes them talk about something else. Biting her lip she tested her luck and asked him more. "Were you two close?" _

_He shrugged, "I guess. She was older than me so she was pretty busy most days with her friends and life. But there were times when it would just be the two of us. Those would usually be the times when she hit me the most." He chuckled, a faraway look in his eyes as he thought of his older sister and their times spent together. _

_It felt so good to hear him speak like this. For so long she's been dying to know more about his family life and seeing how he felt about his sister made her so happy. "She sounds really nice. I would like to meet her." She realized her mistake the moment she said those words. He immediately tensed up and she scolded herself for her own carelessness. She had finally gotten him to open up about his life and she had to go and ruin in. _

_"She got married and moved LA so I don't think that's possible right now." _

_She was so surprised to hear him speak. She thought for sure he would be quiet the rest of the night. Hope had risen into her chest at those words, especially the last two. "Right now?" she placed both her hands on his shoulders and pushed herself up so that her face was at his level. "Does that mean you want me to meet your family?" _

_Even the darken room he could still see the way her eye shined and it made his heart clench. He had to look away. He was about to crush that hopeful look and he couldn't handle seeing the disappointment that would come. "I do but..." his hand clenched into a fist, it was shaking from the pressure he was placing on it but he didn't let it bother him because he had something much more important going on. _

_Tsukushi took notice of his exterior, he seemed to be having some sort of inter turmoil going on. He always got like that whenever she brought up the subject of his family but lately it had gotten more extreme. She didn't understand what the issue was. They were in love and have been together for nine months now, you'd think she would have met someone from his life by now but she was still in the dark about so many things. He refused to share his personal life with her if it involved his friends or family. "Tsukasa, I love you." She shook her head at the conversation they were going to have. They had just had a nice time together and it was going to be ruined by them arguing. She didn't want to start a fight but she felt if she didn't get this off her chest then she would go crazy. She'd rather fight and make up then be left with an uneasy feeling in her heart for the rest of the night. "And it's because I love you that I want to meet the people in your life. I want to know more about you, how you were as a child, what your school life is like, what has made you into the person you are today. I know you said that you don't really get along with your family and I get that but I still want to meet them. I still want to see the people who raised you. After all they can't be all bad if you're their son and I-" _

_She was cut off when his arms pulled her in closer to his body, his hold so strong and secure that she couldn't move to even reposition herself. One hand held the back of her head with his fingers buried deep in her brown locks while the other wrapped itself around her small frame, keeping her secured in his embrace. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, his curly hair tickled the side of her face but the situation was too serious for her to even think about laughing. "They wouldn't understand," if possible he pulled her in closer, his breath made her skin feel hot but despite how it made her feel she couldn't focus on anything more than his voice. "I can't lose you, Tsukushi." His voice was so desperate that it broke her heart. She didn't understand what he was saying or how this conversation had turned into this but it was obvious he was truly afraid of losing her. She sees this man on a daily basis and in all the time they've spent together never once has she seen him look so frightened. There was much more to his story than he was telling her but she decided at this moment she would let it go. He would tell her when he's ready and she wouldn't pry. His family situation wasn't her business and she was sure when the time comes she'll learn it all. _

_She just hoped that when she did learn the truth she could handle it. _

_With such a strong grip on her body it took some effort for her to wrap her own arms around him but she managed to do it. "You won't lose me," she whispered into his ears, hoping her words could convey what she was feeling right now. She may not know everything that's going on but she did know one thing for sure, she loved this man and she didn't want to separated from him. _

_When he finally lifted his head to look at her she hoped he could see the love she held for him shining in her eyes. He did. His fears and concerns were still there, she could feel it as he kissed her. There was an urgency in his touch, as if he was trying to convince himself that she was indeed there and she always would be. The feelings was still there even as their tongues met but it was no longer on the surface as their need and desire for each other began to take over. He pushed her down on the couch, his much larger body easily consuming her smaller one and it made her shiver at the thought. His hold was gentle but forceful, fitting with his personality perfectly, and made her moan as he held her even closer. The sounds that came out of her only made his movements more intense, his hands that had held her before were going back to their old ways and were pushing up her shirt but this time she didn't mind it. She, herself, was busy unbuttoning his own shirt, leaving his bare chest open for her hands to run over his skin. She could feel the toned muscles on his body that tensed up as her delicate fingers ran over every trace they could. Their kissing only came to a stop when he finally pulled her shirt off, leaving her in only her bra and left her with no time to feel embarrassed as he attacked her bare skin. His lips nipped at her neck, sucking and biting every inch that he could get to as he placed one hand on her breast. He cupped her covered breast, massaging it briefly before slipping underneath the fabric to hold the soft mound that was pure Tsukushi. She moaned even louder at his touch. Somehow his hand was both hot and cold and it was making her have such a reaction that she jerked her body in response. _

_In doing so snapped one strap of her bra and causing them both to halt in what they were doing. They were frozen in their spots, neither saying nor doing anything as the now broken white strap laid untouched but not forgotten over the breast that he held. She could feel her face heat up in embarrassment and she mentally cursed herself for buying such a cheap bra. "Pfft," he snorted, trying to hold in his laughing but it was useless because not even a second later he was bellowing with laughter. _

_Tsukushi was not amused. "You're such a jerk!" she pushed him off her, making sure to cover her chest for good measure as she searched for her discarded shirt. _

_He was still laughing. Honestly the whole thing was to amusing not to laugh at and it was something that would happen to them. "I can't believe it. You really are that poor." He laughed even harder at this. He was well aware that her family didn't have the best financial situation and bought all their stuff at discount stores which usually meant the stuff wasn't always made properly but to have a bra just snap as hers did was just hilarious. At least in his book. _

_With her shirt now retrieved Tsukushi put it back on her body and glared at her still laughing boyfriend. She smacked him in the face with a pillow. "It's not funny," didn't he understand that the whole thing was really embarrassing for her. That was the farthest they have ever gone in their relationship and her bra strap snapping and him laughing at her was not making her feel better. "I'm going home." She all but leapt off the couch in a rush to get to the door and head home so she could crawl in her bed and wallow in the pity party she was planning to have. _

_Tsukasa grabbed her before she could even make it past the coffee table. He pulled her back down to the couch and into his embrace. "Don't go. I shouldn't have laughed like that. But you have to admit it was pretty funny." He rested the side of his face in her hair, taking in the scent that was purely her. She didn't used shampoo with some artificial fragrance and she wasn't big on perfume either. Her scent was natural, an almost rustic sort of smell and was one he had grown a longing for after holding her in his arms after months of being together. If he could he would bottle this smell and take it home with him on the lonely nights he often had after they spent the day together and had been forced to depart for the night. _

_His words didn't make her feel better. If anything it made her anger grow. "Maybe for you." If she could have she would have crossed her arms but instead settled for glaring. She blushed when she realized his shirt was still open. "You should fix your shirt before you catch a cold." _

_"Nah, I'm good," he moved his body in a way that he was able to take off his shirt without releasing his hold on her. He placed the garment over her and laid them down on the couch so she was rest on his bare chest. "Besides I usually sleep without a shirt on." He adjusted his body to get comfortable, his head resting against the pillow she had thrown at him, he had one leg resting against the arm of the couch at the end while the other hung off the edge and rested on the ground. It didn't look like a comfortable position to be in but he found himself drifting off to sleep in no time. So long as he had her in his arms there was no other place he'd rather be. _

_Tsukushi couldn't believe what was happening. How had they gone from making out on his couch, to him laughing at her, to her falling asleep in his arms...again!? "My parents..." she tried to make an argument as she made an attempt to get up but he pulled her down and didn't release his grip on her. _

_"It's already late. We'll deal with them in the morning." His reply was a sleepy one and in a matter of moments all she heard from him was labored breathes. He had fallen asleep and had still yet to relax his hold on her. _

_She gave one last stab at trying to get up but it was useless and it was clear to her that she would be spending the night. This would be her first time sleeping over at his place and while she felt a little embarrassed she found that falling asleep in his arms was an experience she enjoyed and hoped for more times like this to happen in the future. Adjusting her body to get comfortable she laid there with her head resting on his chest, the sound of his heart thumping in her ears lulled her to sleep and the shirt he had placed over her helped to keep her warm along with his body heat. She had to say it was the best night of sleep she's had in her entire life. _

_**~X~**_

The next morning she had been fully prepared to face the wrath of her parents but thankfully Yuuki had covered for her when her mother called her best friend's house in a panic. She had known about their date and put two and two together told Tsukushi's mother that she had passed out at her house after studying together and that her phone had died. When she had finally gotten home the next morning her mother had merely scolded her for being so careless with her cell and reminded her to always keep it charged. There was no grounding or them prohibiting her from seeing Tsukasa. Both of them had be grateful to the girl and amazing Tsukasa treated them all to a nice dinner the next day as his show of gratitude. Most people wouldn't have been able to lie to their friend's parents and while she knew Yuuki didn't enjoy doing it she was also a very loyal friend and knew that Tsukushi had a good reason for what she had done. Of course when she told her friend the story of what happened she had said it had all been worth it.

It was also one of the reasons why she was letting Yuuki drag her around the shop that sold nothing was bras and underwear. She owed the girl after she had done so much to help her and because she wanted to buy something special. Over time they had been growing closer and closer to sleeping together and while she always made sure to wear her good bras whenever she went to his house to avoid another laughing fit she wanted to wear something extra special when that time really did come. So far they had been interrupted every time they came close. Usually by a phone call or someone walking in on them or that one time she had gotten a fever. But tomorrow it would just be the two of them in his apartment, eating a romantic dinner that she made and with an excuse all ready for her parents. She was prepared to spend the night at Tsukasa's and finally take the next and final step with him.

"How about this one?" she had been brought away from her planning as Yuuki showed her a green lingerie set with rhinestones covering the two cups.

She quickly shook her head. "No way." She was not going to sleep with him looking like a disco ball. Searching through the racks she pulled out a nice white set with two pink bows on the strap. "How about this? These are pretty cute and they're on sale too." She grinned, always pleased with herself whenever she found a good deal.

From the look her friend was giving her said that she hadn't picked out a winner. "I thought the whole point of this was to pick out something that wasn't like your old stuff?"

"I know, but..." she wasn't sure what else she was supposed to say.

Yuuki could only sigh and shake her head. "There has to be something here." She set off on her own, determined to find something for her friend.

Tsukushi didn't stop her and continued on her search for the perfect garment. She wanted to pick out something different but all of the stuff in the store she was too embarrassed to try on. She was worried if she went for something in a completely different direction from her normal look Tsukasa would laugh at her for trying so hard. He did it once before when she showed up on a date wearing a dress that she would normally never wear but Yuuki's older sister had forced her in to it. He had taken one look at her before bursting out in laughter and then let her wear his jacket the rest of the night.

"Sounds like you could use some help." She looked to her right and saw two guys that looked no older than her were standing by where she was looking. They were dressed in fancy looking clothes that screamed top of the line and matched their handsome features.

"So tell us, are you buying some new underwear for a special person?" the first one to talk with her was had long shoulder length wavy red hair.

"Perhaps for a special occasion?" the other one had short black hair that was styled perfectly to match his good looking facial features.

Tsukushi eyed them both warily. "And what does it matter to the two of you?" they may be handsome but that didn't mean she would let them do what they want. She may not know them but they looked like a couple of playboys to her.

The one with the short hair gestured over to the changing rooms. "We're free since the other ladies we're helping shop for are busy trying on stuff."

"And we thought it might be interesting to help you out." The one with the long hair added in.

She relaxed a bit after hearing they were helping other people that were also shopping for new underwear. "Thanks, but no thanks. I don't need any help." That was a total lie but she was much too embarrassed to ask for help some guys. Even if they did work here.

They both snorted. "Liar."

Tsukushi felt her eye twitch. "Excuse me, but I didn't ask for your help so why don't you mind your own business." She gestured for them to leave her and her friend alone. She didn't care who they were she did not want their help. She had gone back to searching through the racks when she was stopped by two sets of hands that were placed on her shoulders.

"Trust us, we're not only helping you but you're boyfriend as well." The short-haired guy spoke first.

"You are shopping here because you want him to have your first time together with him special right?" the longer-haired guy said next.

A blush made its way onto her cheeks. "How'd you know it's my first time?" now she was starting to get freaked out. Were these two guys following her?

They both gave her a look that said she couldn't be serious. "Because it's obvious." They said in unison and it all but made her fall to her knees.

"So stop being so stubborn and let us help," the one with longer hair said before adding in, "By the way you can call me, Mimasaka and he's Nishikado."

"We would tell you our first names but just in case you fall for our charms we don't your boyfriend coming after us." Nishikado added in as they both started to laugh at the joke.

Tsukushi however didn't find it funny. "Won't be a problem. I love my boyfriend and I wouldn't ever dream of cheating on him," her words were true. It didn't matter if a hundred good looking men suddenly started flirting with her. Her heart only belonged to Tsukasa and nothing would ever change that. "Besides you two aren't really my type." She hated playboys and no matter who they were or what they did she would never be attracted to them.

Now for most guys her harsh words would have hurt their pride and had them call her a name before stalking off in a huff. Which is what she was secretly hoping for. But it came as a surprise when the two suddenly started laughing.

"Who would have ever thought I would enjoy being told I'm not someone's type." Nishikado grinned as he laughed as he looked down at the confused girl. "Looks like we were right, you really are interesting."

"And very sweet. You're boyfriend should consider him lucky to have such a loyal girl by his side" Mimasaka patted her head in a gentle manner. "Which makes us want to help the two of you get together even more." With a quick nod the two set to work to find exactly what she would need. It took them only a few minutes to come back with a piece of garment that they knew would fit her perfectly.

"In our professional opinion this will suit your style and body type perfectly." Nishikado handed her their pick.

A peach colored lace bra and matching underwear was presented to her. The bra was laced and didn't have much support but it looked like it would fit her body well and her only complaint about it was that it was somewhat see through. But she supposed that was a good thing about it too. There was no extra padding so it didn't give the illusion to something she didn't have but instead was designed to highlight her body's natural features. The underwear was the same color and fabric and was also giving the appearance of it being see through. Both garments had a flower design that made it look classy and neither childish or adulteress. It was really surprised that two men she had just met had been able to pick out such suitable lingerie for her. _"I guess it makes sense since they work in a lingerie shop." _they had to be good at their job if they wanted to work in this kind of business. She studied the undergarments and wondered briefly if Tsukasa would like it on her. "And you really think this is best?" she asked shyly, wanting a male's opinion. It wasn't like she could send a picture to her boyfriend and ask what he thought of it. The whole point of this was to be a surprise and besides there was no way she was ever sending him a message like that. With her luck someone else would pick up his phone and see the picture.

"Trust us. This piece will blow him away."

"He'd have to be a total idiot not to love it."

She nodded her head, thanking them for their help and headed for the register.

"Take care and be sure to use protection!"

"Once you take the first step into womanhood come find us and we'll help you two keep the passion alive!"

She nearly fell over at their words and had to resist the urge to throw her shoe at them. Who the hell says that kind of stuff in public? And to someone they had just met?! She was so reporting them once she got to the register. Grumbling to herself she looked for her friend as she did a quick check on her wallet and was pleased that she had enough to buy her new outfit. _"Good thing yesterday was payday." _She smiled to herself as her phone started to buzz. Quickly pulling it out she saw she had a message from Tsukasa and felt a blush explode onto her face. She knew he was nowhere in the store but it felt like he was watching her every move. Thankfully he was only asking what she was doing and if she wanted to meet up at a coffee shop later. Taping a fast reply of where and when to meet she all but shoved her phone back in her bag and ran to the register.

"Tsukushi!" Yuuki had finally reappeared but came back empty handed. "Sorry, I looked all over but I didn't find anything." She really hoped they could have found something for her to wear.

Forcing down her blush she smiled at her friend and showed her the piece she held in her hands. "Don't worry about it. I actually found the perfect outfit." She placed the garments on the counter and handed the woman the right amounts of bills needed to pay for the outfit.

"Did anyone help you in your shopping today?" the lady at the register asked, needing to know if someone needed to add commission to their paycheck.

Tsukushi nodded and pointed to the two guys from earlier. "They did. But I think you should really tell them to work on their people skills. They may be good at their job but that doesn't excuse their behavior." She was grateful for their help but they had also been rather rude to her and practically embarrassed her in front of the whole store. She wasn't going to let them get away with that.

The woman looked at where she was pointing and smiled, giving an amused giggle as she did so. "Mr. Nishikado and Mr. Mimasaka don't work here, my dear. They do frequent the store but that's usually to help their dates pick out what outfits they want them to wear." She said, gesturing to the two men that were walking out the doors with the women they had come in with. They had turned back around to wave at Tsukushi and winked at her.

Tsukushi felt all the color drain from her body. She turned a pale white before exploding into a bright red that steamed from both embarrassment and rage. "Those bastards!" her cries could be heard all throughout the stores and her anger didn't disappear even as they left the shop and were now sitting at the coffee shop she agreed to meet Tsukasa at. "I can't believe them," she bit in a doughnut that she had purchased in her fit of rage. Whenever she got really angry she always found herself eating everything in sight. "They had the nerve to pretend to be salesmen when really they were nothing but a bunch of perverts!" she slammed her hand on the table, her cheeks still tinted red as a growl escaped her. She wasn't sure what she was more upset at, them for tricking her or herself for not realizing it. They never officially said they worked at the shop. She only assumed they did because of their behavior and like a fool she let them do what they wanted. Glaring down at the bag she had placed in her purse she felt torn about the garment inside. While she still believed it was the best choice for her to wear she just couldn't shake the anger she felt whenever she looked at it because it only served as a reminder for those perverts. "And they had the gall to sell me underwear that they and their "professional opinion" say is perfect for my body type," by her tone her voice you could tell what she really thought of their professional opinion. In all her ranting she had yet to see that Yuuki had grown still in her seat and was now looking very frightened. Nor did she notice the large shadow that was towering over her. "I mean seriously, did they have nothing better to do? What a bunch of perverts!" she huffed, finally finished with all her ranting and took in a deep breath to calm herself down. There was no point in staying mad at something stupid like this all night, especially not when she was meeting with her boyfriend soon. Speaking of he should be arriving soon. She reached for her phone to look at the time and to see if she had any missed messages from Tsukasa when she finally took noticed of her friend sitting across from her. "Yuuki? Are you ok?" she asked, worried about her friend's frightened form.

Yuuki didn't say anything. She merely pointed a shaky finger.

Tsukushi was confused at first but when she saw the reflection being cast from her phone she finally understood why her friend looked so scared. Turning around slowly she saw a fuming Tsukasa standing behind her, both his hands balled into fists as his body shook and a frown set so deep on his face she would be amazed if it didn't freeze like that. She gulped, easily recognizing the jealously in his eyes. She learned early on in their relationship that he was the jealous type and him hearing that two guys had helped her pick out underwear, especially since he still hadn't seen her naked, had him nearing his breaking point. "Who the hell was selling you underwear!" he roared in the once peaceful coffee shop and took to the streets in search for the two perverts that had the nerve to pick out underwear for his girlfriend. It didn't matter that he had no clue who they were or what they looked like, he was on a mission to find them and he would do just that. "When I find them, I'm going to kill them!"

"Tsukasa!" Tsukushi immediately chased after him. If she didn't calm him down she was sure he would get arrested for not only disturbing the peace but for beating up anyone who dared crossed his path. _"Why me!" _she mentally cried to herself as she did her best to keep up with her angry boyfriend that was punching any male who looked at her.


	4. Chapter 4

Tsukushi jumped with a start when her phone chimed with a new message. Stepping away from the oven she reached over to the counter to look at the text. She felt her heart stop when she saw it was from Tsukasa but after reading it she sighed with relief. She was worried he was going to tell her he had left work early and was already on his way home but thankfully instead he was just getting out now and she still had enough time to finish up. Pleased with this she jumped back into her work and began to grab all the spices that would help add the finishing touches to their dinner. Today was the day before Tsukasa's eighteenth birthday and she had offered to cook him dinner instead of going out to an expensive restaurant to celebrate. He happily accepted this and told her what meal he was in the mood to have. What he didn't know was that she would have his pre-birthday dinner all ready by the time he got home from work. He believed that she would be meeting him at his house but she was surprising him by having the meal all ready for him by the time he got back.

Currently she was busy working in his kitchen. He had given her a spare key six months into their relationship and he told her it was to be used for only emergencies. So far she's only had to use it once and that was when he had somehow lost his own key. With it he had also given her a dandelion keychain to go with it since she was a weed and all. In return she gave him an octopus keychain to make up for her not being able to give him the same. Her parents would have killed her if she gave him a key to their house. He had made a big fuss over it because he believed it was just supposed to represent her making fun of his hair, which it kind of was, but despite all his complaining she's seen the red plastic figurine more than once on his keys.

Humming a soft tune to herself she walked over to the fridge to bring out the butter they would need for their bread. She had gone all out for his birthday dinner. She bought his favorite brand of pasta, made her own bread rolls, and whipped up her own sauce for the pasta but her favorite creation had to be the coffee cake that was currently being kept cool in the fridge. She had made it earlier that day at Yuuki's and had added the finishing touches once she got to his apartment. She had written the typical happy birthday writing but in the very center of the cake she had designed the face of her boyfriend and used nearly all the tub of icing she had bought to help with the creating the curly locks of his hair. While she loved to tease him about his hair she had grown fond of his curly locks. A favorite past time for both of them was when she would run her fingers through the curly locks, the content look that would appear on both their faces as they lived in the moment.

Shutting the fridge with her hip she took a look at the clock on her phone and noticed that he would be home soon. All that was left was the sauce and adding the rest of the spices to make it taste just right. Stirring the wooden spoon in the pot she cast a glance over her shoulder to the living room where she left the two gifts for him. One she would let him open today and the other would be for tomorrow morning on his actual birthday. She couldn't believe he was turning eighteen, almost as much as she couldn't believe they've been together for over a year. It's been a memorable year, many of their times together had a lot of arguments but through it all it just made her fall more and more in love with him. Many of her friends had said she was crazy for waiting so long to sleep with him but it felt right to her. He was her first boyfriend and honestly she never really had an interest in others guys. Sure she found some of them cute and would feel good if they tried to flirt with her but none of them could compare to what she felt for Tsukasa. When she was with him it was like her heart went into overtime while also beating quietly in her chest in radiance of the joy she felt when she was with him. She didn't know you could feel so many things all at once but to her that was what being in love was about. It was how she knew she was ready to sleep with him.

It had happened when they were at her house, for once it was just the two of them, and they were kissing on her bed. She wasn't sure what brought it on but as he held her she felt ready. She hadn't voiced her thoughts, instead kept on kissing but by the way he looked at her in the eyes told her that he understood. Had her parents not suddenly come barging in and breaking them apart she was sure they would have gone all the way that night. After that whenever they were alone they seemed to get even closer to finally having sex, but she was glad to have the proper underwear this time. Even if the lingerie reminded her of those two perverts, and as much as it killed her to admit it, they really did have good taste. She was sure once Tsukasa saw what she was wearing she would knock his socks off.

Her phone chimed once more but this time it was just from Yuuki, telling her that her mother had called and was asking for her. She made sure to send a quick message to her brother's phone to let their parents know she was fine. She didn't like that she was lying to her parents but it was the only way she could spend the night without them freaking out. She had told them she would be staying over at Yuuki's to study for a test and that she would be keeping her phone off most of the night to save money. Thankfully they believed her and hadn't put up to much of a fight about her phone. So long as they didn't find out the truth she and Tsukasa could have their night together without too much difficulties.

The jingling of keys in the door alerted her that he was back and things were finally about to get started. Her pulse sped up and she did a quickly adjustment of her attire, a pink long sleeves shirt that actually gave her usual flat body some curves with a black skirt and tan stockings to help give her a look of maturity, if only a little bit. The white apron she had brought from home had thankfully protected her carefully planned out outfit from getting any stains on it. The necklace he had given her shined brightly around her neck. She always wore the piece of jewelry ever since he had given it to her for her birthday and it made her feel good to be wearing it for his. Holding it in her hands filled her with the courage she needed for what she hoped would happen tonight. She just had enough time to fix her hair when he walked into the kitchen and looked completely stunned by her being there. Seeing this look on his face made her smile, "Welcome home." She blushed a little, feeling somewhat like a housewife welcoming home her husband after his long day at work.

He didn't say anything, he just stood there looking at her with wide eyes and mouth slightly open. She was starting to get nervous that he was upset with her for coming into his house without his permission but when she saw his two cheeks start to turn red she knew there was nothing to worry about. Clearing his throat he scratched the back of his head and tried to regain his composure. "I thought you weren't coming over till later."

Relief filled her at this and she giggled softly to herself at his behavior. "I wanted to surprise you," she turned back around to continue stirring the pot with her sauce in it. She ushered him to come join her and once he was next to her she lifted the wooden spoon to his lips for him to taste. He was taken back for only a moment before taking the spoon into his mouth and gave his silent nod of approval at the taste. Pleased that it all turned out well she turned off the oven and took off her apron. "I'm glad you like it. Now come and help me set the table before the food gets cold." She moved to the cabinet to grab the silverware when she was pulled into his embrace. Her back pressed firmly up against his chest as he rested his chin on her shoulder, pressing his face right up against hers.

"Thank you." He whispered his gratitude in her ear, making her shiver at the feeling of his hot breath. He turned his head to look at her and it felt like her heart was about jump out of her chest. His eyes looked almost like they were shining.

She gulped, trying to get her brain to function so she could form words. "Y-You're welcome." She blushed, eyes darting from side to side for a few seconds before looking back at him. The look was still on his face. "Why are you looking at me like that?" It wasn't a hard look, it was very gentle and full of love but it was also very intense and it was making her feel strange. "Knock it off or else I'll-!" she was cut off by his lips coverings hers. He cupped the side of her face, holding her as he kissed her as her two hands came up to hold onto the arm that still held her. It was a strange sort of kiss, one that made her body twist slightly to get it right but it still had the same effect as all their kisses do. It made her feel like a fire was burning inside her.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

They whispered their feelings for each other as they broke apart from the kiss. For a moment they stood there in the others embrace. It was their favorite place to be, in the arms of the other. They only moved when Tsukushi reminded him of the food. He set the table, even bringing out candles for the special occasion as she brought out all the food she prepared. They ate it together, for once he wasn't complaining about what she cooked like he's done in the past whenever she made him food. She knew that was just the kind of person he was, he can be so straightforward and honest some days and other times he would say one thing and have it mean something completely different. But tonight he wasn't any of that, he ate every bite and actually laughed when he saw the picture she had designed of him on the cake. He blew out the candles with ease and when she asked what he wished for he pointed at her. "It's already come true." She was positive her face had turned the same color as her shirt. With her heart beating in her ears she cut them a piece of cake, handing it to him with was she was sure was a goofy looking smile on her face. He looked at the piece she handed him for a moment before setting it back down at the table. She saw this and was ready to yell but was stopped by him kissing her, his hands cupping her cheeks to hold her face to his. She instantly relaxed into the kiss and clenched her hands onto his shirt as his tongue entered her mouth. She moaned as their two tongues met, the kiss deepening even more as a fire started to burn within both of them. His hands moved from her face so one rested on the back of her hair and the other on her lower back pressing her body more firmly up against his. She moved her own hands from his shirt to wrap one arm around his neck with the other holding his shoulder. Their kiss was growing, intensifying with their need for the other. He pushed her down onto the table, her long hair sprawling all over as the hand that held her hair moved the silverware that surrounded them aside so they could have more room.

Sadly in his attempt to clear the table they had forgotten about the cake that still sat there. He knocked over tray that held it and both gasped when it had fallen, landing on his hand and all over her hair. Tsukushi cried out, jumping out of his embrace, ramming her forehead into his chin in the process. He groaned in pain, holding his aching chin before crying out in shock of his own as the hand that still had cake was now covering the lower half of his face. When they finally calmed down they looked at each other, both panting from not only their kiss but from the strange occurrence that just happened to them. Only something like that would happen to them while they were in the middle of kissing. Tsukushi gathered her cake-filled hair in her hands, gathering as many napkins as she could to wipe off as much of the cake as she was able to and tried not to grimace at the sticky substance. Her eyes followed to her boyfriend who was using a napkin to wipe the cake off his hand and face. She snorted softly, the two of them together were a hot mess. He raised an eyebrow at her but she shook her head. "Do you mind if I use your shower?" she forced down the bashfulness that came with the question. She needed a shower, it didn't matter how many napkins she used the only way she would be getting the cake out without ruining her hair would be with some soap and water.

He nodded, unaware that there was still frosting on his chin. "Sure, you can use the one in my room. It'll be better that you clean up here instead of going home with a head full of cake. You're parents would probably have a fit if I let you return like that." He laughed to him, thinking of the wrath that he would have faced if he let her go home like that. Even if she did by some strange reason had to go home like that he would have went with her to keep her from getting attacked by anyone who would want to mess with her. "Come on." With a soft gesture of his head for her to follow him he headed down the hall that would lead them to his bedroom.

Tsukushi gulped at his words, her nerves suddenly skyrocketing. She was sure if things hadn't gone the way they had they would still be kissing and would have probably moved onto the bedroom to finish their activity. She had honestly been hoping for that so she didn't have to actually speak her desires out loud. But of course with her luck nothing was ever that easy. Taking the few shaky steps that she needed to take to reach him she grabbed the back of his shirt. "Tsukasa," her voice was soft and trembled slightly as did the hands that held the back of his shirt. She was nervous and still so unsure about many things but she one thing for sure, she wanted to be with him. "I was actually hoping, that is if it's ok with you, could I spend the night?" she shut her eyes as she spoke. Feeling so stupid for asking such a thing but what else could she do. Even if this was what she wanted there was no way she was just going to come out and say, "Hey, I want to have sex. Let's do it." That would be completely mortifying!

When over a minute passed and he still had yet to say anything she was worried that maybe she had made a mistake. Sure they seemed like they were close to doing it when they were kissing but maybe he lost interest because of the cake incident? Or had she overstepped her bounds by asking such a question? Opening both eyes she was ready to give every excuse in the book to make up for what she said when she saw his ears. They were bright red. She felt herself calm down instantly at the sight, relief that she hadn't done something to upset him and took in a deep breath to relax her body. She was still nervous about what could take place tonight but she knew that in her heart there was no one else she could imagine being with. And yet for some reason despite her new found courage her hands were still shaking. With a quick glance at her boyfriend she was surprised to see that it hadn't only been her who had a reaction to her words. Tsukasa's entire body was shaking and the closer she looked the more she saw that the rest of his face, even his neck, were red from the blush he was wearing. "Tsukasa...?" she called to him when he still hadn't said a word.

He all but jumped in his spot when she called to him. With quick movements he reached behind him and grabbed her hand, making sure not to look at her so she didn't see just how badly his face was resembling a tomato. He once more started to lead them down the hallway that would take them to his room, this time with much more urgency. "Sure, I mean if you really want too." He finally spoke, his own voice trembling and strangely a haughty laugh followed soon after his words.

Tsukushi could only look at him like he had finally lost his mind. _"I think I just broke my boyfriend." _

When they finally reached his bedroom the two of them just stood in the door way, their hands had unconsciously laced together in the short trip it had taken to get there. Neither of them knew what they were supposed to do at this point. In all the times Tsukushi had been over this was the first time she had ever set foot in his room. The lights were off but thanks to window the moon's glow was enough for her to see where things were. On her left were two dressers with another door that she deemed to be his closet. On her right was a desk that had books and papers scattered around it and not too far from that was an open door that was hidden in the shadow but she could make out that it was the bathroom. She gulped when her eyes finally settled on the queen sized bed in the very center of the room. One nightstands was placed next to it with a lamp with pictures of the two of them and what looked like stacks of magazines.

It seemed he realized she was looking at the bed because his body had become just as stiff as hers had. "The bathroom right over there." He said, pointing to the right side of the room that she already knew held the bathroom.

She nodded, trying to think of what to say. "Um...do you mind if I borrow some pajamas?" she fiddled with the end of her skirt with her free hand. She never imagined she would be going through such an embarrassing situation but she would push forward.

"Oh yeah," his mind seemed to be just as frazzled as hers because he seemed like he was on autopilot with his words and movements. He still hadn't let go of her hand as he all but dragged her over to the drawers that kept his clothes in. He handed her a night shirt and a towel, his face burning brightly and easy to see even in the dark. "Here."

"Thanks." She took them with her free hand and jolted when the tips of her fingers touched his other hand. Both of them looked into the others eyes when they touched and the blushes that they both wore grew in not only size but in color. "Guess I'll go take that shower now." She all but ran to the bathroom, getting her hand free from his and shutting the door with much more force than what was needed. With deep breathes she carefully removed her clothes but kept glancing back at the doors, despite her locking it she was nervous that he would just suddenly appear. Shaking her head to get the weird thoughts out she turned the showers knobs and sighed in happiness at the hot water that hit her body. The tub was much bigger and nicer than the one at her house and even the one at the local bathhouse and while she wished she could have taken a nice long bath she was well aware that just beyond the door Tsukasa was waiting for her. That seemed to kick her brain into action because suddenly she couldn't stop thinking. _"This is really happening," _she poured a handful of shampoo in her hands and got to work on her hair that had become sticky from the cake. _"We're all alone and I asked to spend the night," _she grabbed the bar of soap and proceeded to scrub every inch of her body. _"We're going to sleep together." _She shut off the water once all the soap and shampoo was gone from what had to be the quickest shower she had ever taken. She stood there, naked in the tub, staring at one spot on the wall and her entire body began to shake once more. She was nervous. Hell she was beyond nervous because she was completely terrified. Tonight she was about to lose her virginity and have sex for the very first time. Wrapping the towel quickly around her body she jumped out of the shower and ran to her clothes. _"I can't do this! I'm too scared. I'm..." _she halted in her panic attack when she held her new bra in her hand. She stared at the peach-colored clothing, rubbing over the soft fabric with her thumb. Her mind flashing her back to those two boys that she deemed to be the biggest perverts on the planet but her thoughts were focusing on what they told her.

_"You're boyfriend should consider him lucky to have such a loyal girl by his side." _

_"Trust us. This piece will blow him away."_

_"He'd have to be a total idiot not to love it." _

She let out a long sigh. They may be perverts but they were also good guys. They didn't know who she was or anything about her for that matter but for whatever reason they decided to help her pick out lingerie so that her first time could be special. She knew that she was ready. She loved Tsukasa with all her heart and to have her first time with him would be amazing. She's seen many couples over the years but to her the love she and Tsukasa shared was something that only comes once in a lifetime. She was nervous and she didn't doubt that she would just suddenly calm down once she was in his arms like in the books. But she couldn't let that stop her. She wanted this...she wanted him. With new found determination she put her underwear back on, after all she bought it especially for this reason and she was going to make sure it was seen. Pulling the shirt he had given her over her body she wasn't surprised to see that it fit her more like a dress than a shirt. "It smells like him." It carried the scent of the cologne that he always wore. It seemed to be his signature scent but he wore others but she noticed he wore this one more often because she told him that she liked it. She smiled into the soft fabric, he may not always act like it but her opinion mattered to him just as his mattered to her. Gathering her own clothes into a neat pile she came across her necklace, the blue gemstone shined in the light of the bathroom. She still couldn't believe he had spent so much money on a piece of jewelry but she treasured the necklace like she did her own life. Placing it back around her neck she felt better, wearing what he gave her while wearing one of his shirts was almost as if he was holding her in his arms. She always felt safe when he held her and she knew that despite her fears that once they did take the next step so long as he continued to keep holding her in his arms, everything would be ok. Deciding that she wasted enough time she set to work to dry her hair and went about looking over the rest of her body for anything that could cause them to stop in the middle. She used the spare tooth brush she kept there to make her breath smell minty fresh, she grabbed her spare razor to do a double on her armpits and legs, and grabbed her deodorant to hide any sweat that may have come during her panic attack. She halted in her antics when she stopped to look at the medicine cabinet in his bathroom, mixed in with his stuff was hers. After her first night sleeping over Yuuki suggested she leave a tooth brush over his place just in case and when she brought this up to Tsukasa he seemed pleased with the idea and even suggested she leave more stuff at his place. At first she had just left an extra tooth brush and deodorant but she hadn't realized until now that over time she started leaving more and more of her stuff at his place. They were simple items that she picked up at the convenience but seeing that he put them with his warmed her heart. _"Stupid, this makes us look an old married couple." _She blushed at her thought, closing the cabinet and picking up her extra brush to fix her hair. She giggled at the sight of the red thing. _"Maybe we are." _

Happy with how she looked she took in one last deep breath to calm her nerves. She was still tense but she wasn't going to let that stop her. She would do this! Turning the knob she stepped out of the bathroom and back into the bedroom. The lights were still off but the lamp on the nightstand had been turned on where Tsukasa sat on the bed with his back facing her. She noticed he had changed as well, wearing only a pair of blue sleep pants with no shirt. She blushed at his naked skin, it was a big reminder of what they were about to do. He was hunched over and by the rustling of paper seemed to be reading something. Whatever it was he was completely engrossed in it because he hadn't even heard her come out. Shrugging to herself she picked up her clothes and brought them over to the dresser and gulped when she turned back around to face him. But even then he still hadn't noticed she was back in the room. With the small light she could tell he was reading a magazine and by the cover it was one of those teen magazine that a lot of the girls in her school read but what on earth he could be reading at a time like this was beyond her. She moved to sit down next to him, thinking he would finally realize she was there but he had his nose so deep into whatever article he was reading that he didn't even notice the movement in the bed. With an eye twitch and a low sigh she leaned over to get a glimpse at what he was looking at.

_"The Perfect Guide For The Perfect First Time" _

She felt her eyebrows raise at the title and tried to lean in more to make out what exactly this article was about but his large body was blocking her. Finally she had enough and decided it was time to speak up. "What are you reading?" she asked, but hadn't been expecting the reaction she got.

His entire body tensed up and jumped all at once and before she could even blink he threw the magazine across the room. It hit the door with such force she was amazed it didn't break on impact. "Don't sneak up on people like that!" he cried, his entire face had gone red and his eyes were as wide as dinner plates.

She titled her head to the side in confusion. He was so weird sometimes. "It's not my fault you were so engrossed in that magazine," she brought her legs up on the bed, curling them up to keep warm. It was late January and despite the heat in the room being in just a shirt was chilly. "What were you reading anyways?"

He had the look of a guilty child that just got caught reading a dirty magazine. "It's none of your business." He jumped to his feet, but in his haste to get away from her he hit into his nightstand making all the magazines he had gathered there fall to the floor. To him it was like watching it all happen in slow motion while all she saw was a big mess. He fell to his knees to pick them all up but he hadn't been fast enough and she had grabbed one.

Tsukushi looked at the color coverage before flipping to the page that had been booked mark by a sticky note. "Aren't these the magazines that are known for their dating articles?" she flipped through the pages, eyes leisurely looking over the pictures, products and the few articles that caught her interest. She wasn't able to look any further because it was ripped from her hands and watched as Tsukasa shoved every magazine he had in his room into the tiny drawer of his nightstand with what she swore was every ounce of strength he had.

With a swift kick the drawer was shut, she wondered briefly if it would ever open again, and he turned back around to face her. "Before you get any weird ideas those aren't mine. I was just holding onto them for a friend of mine and because you were taking so long in the shower I started reading one for fun. Not because I reading it for tips on what to do in a situation like this!"

Tsukushi raised an eyebrow but tried her hardest to keep her face neutral. _"Yeah right." _Didn't he know that was the go-to excuse guys use when their girlfriends find dirty magazines in their rooms? Although she supposed finding that it also could apply in this type of situation. No guy would want to be caught with a stack of dating magazines. By the amount she saw he had become an avid reader of those articles that he claimed were for his friend. "I don't think your friend will like you manhandling his magazines like that." She pointed to the nightstand that had a few pieces sticking out. She could easily have come up with a hundred different jokes to tease him but she didn't want too. From what she saw told her that he's been reading them for as long as they've been dating and she found it sweet. And it made her feel better that she wasn't the only one apprehensive about tonight.

Clearing his throat Tsukasa sat back down on the bed, arms crossed over his chest. "He'll deal with it." He muttered, cheeks still tinted pink but his demeanor was nice and calm now. _"I can't believe she bought that." _He grinned, proud of himself for convincing her otherwise about the magazines that were really his.

Tsukushi could easily tell what he was thinking about. _"He's an idiot." _She was almost tempted to let him know that he hadn't fooled her but she figured it would better for both of them if she just continued to play stupid. Rolling her eyes at his behavior she noticed the two gifts she had brought with her had been moved from the living room and were now sitting on his bed. "Hey, those are..." she crawled over to pick them both up, thankfully they both still remained unopened.

"I wanted to wait till you were finished to open them." He said, sitting back against his pillows and held out both his hands. His eye twitched when she just sat there looking at him. "Well, give them too me." He frowned, wanting her to give him his presents already.

She felt her own eye twitch. _"I swear he's like a little kid." _It was times like this she wondered if he was really turning eighteen. Fighting back the words she wanted to say she handed him the one bag that held the cookies she made for him.

He did not like this. "Why are you only giving me one?"

"You can open one tonight and the other you open tomorrow on your actual birthday." She told him. She had anticipated this fight and was prepared for it.

He really didn't like this. "It is my birthday." He shoved his phone in her face to show her the time. It was a little past midnight, which meant it was January 31st the day he was born.

She gulped, none of her arguments could help her. She had only been planning on giving him the cookies and then he would open the scarf tomorrow after she left. She wasn't the best at knitting and it was her first time making a scarf so she wasn't very confident in the workmanship, which is why she had planned for him to open it tomorrow after she left. The cookies were baked as extras and to serve as a distraction for his actual gift. "Well I..." she racked her brain for a suitable rebuttal against his words but so far she was drawing a blank.

When he saw she wasn't going to give him his gifts without a fight he took matters into his own hands. Leaning forward he flicked her nose and snatched the gift from her hands when they shot up to hold her stinging face. "Hey!" he ignored her cries and easily blocked her from taking them back with his long legs as he happily tore into both his gifts.

_"It took me over an hour to wrap those!" _she wanted to say and scold him for ruining her efforts but saw that all her attempts were in vain. With a low sigh she stopped trying to get them back and sat back down.

He didn't notice. His focus was on the two presents now sitting in his lap. He held up the red materiel in his hands, looking at the details and sloppy craftsmanship that went into making it. His thumb traced over his initials at the two ends of the fabric.

"I never knitted a scarf before so you better not make fun of me!" she cried, feeling the need to defend herself when he didn't say anything.

With great care he put the scarf and even the wrapping it came in on the nightstand. His attention was now on the packet of cookies. He picked one up, examining the burnt pastry in his hand that had been molded to look like his face. It was much like the design she had made on his birthday cake but in the packet he now held many different variations of expressions.

She felt the need to explain herself even more when it came to those. "We don't have an oven at our house. I had to use the grill so they may smell a bit fishy." She squirmed in her spot. Honestly she had been planning on making the cookies at Yuuki but the two had lost track of time and she reluctantly had to make them at home while she got dressed. She had complete confidences in her cooking skills but she was embarrassed by the design she did. Honestly she did it without even realizing it. She had so much fun making his face on the cake that she didn't notice she had made out the cookies to look like his different facial expressions until it was too late. His silence was making her question about the gifts. She really wished he would say something, it wasn't like him to not voice his opinion. "Look if you don't like them then I'll just eat them myself." She reached over to grab them but he stopped her.

He held her hand in his, intertwining their fingers as he placed the cookies next to his new scarf, putting them down with the same care he had done with the other gift. Once he determined they were secure he turned his full attention back on the woman in front of him. With ease he pulled her towards him, kissing her softly before pulling back to let her know exactly what he thought of her gifts. "I'm so happy."

He had the biggest smile she had ever seen on his face. He looked so much like a child, so angelic but that one smile did so much to enhance his handsome features. It made her heart beat at the sight. And it made her feel so good inside to know that she was the reason that smile was on his face. With a thug of her hand he pulled her in for a kiss and she happily returned the affection. The gifts had been just what they needed. They calmed them both down and were the perfect reminder about how much they loved each other. They made the other happy. They made each other feel a love they never felt before. They made the other have panic attacks in the shower while the other read dating advice from a magazine. They were unique and special, nothing like what you'd expect from an ordinary couple and that's what made them love the other so much.

He pulled her into his lap, his legs wrapping themselves her as she sat on her knees with her hands on his shoulders and his held her waist. They continued to kiss, once more their tongues meeting in their strange dance that felt so overpowering that Tsukushi moaned at the contact. Something about this kiss was different and they both felt it. He rolled them over, knocking over the lap on his stand in the process, causing the only light source in the room to go out.

"You're lamp..." she tried to speak, the responsible side reminding her of the cost and mess that came from the broken lamp.

"Leave it." He growled into the kiss, his lips leaving to trace over her the skin on her neck. He sucked on the smooth skin, grinning when he saw the kiss marks he was leaving behind and when he caught a whiff of his shampoo mixed in with her natural scent. He never imagined he could smell something so heavenly in his entire life.

Tsukushi moaned even louder. Her body was starting to become excited at what was happening and it made her want more. To feel more of him on her, to feel his lips kiss more of her body and for her to kiss him back. Adjusting her head she placed a soft kiss on his neck, it was almost like a ghost's touch but by the grunt he made told her that he liked it and she continued. When she reached his ears her mind flashed her a memory of her running her fingers through her hair, she accidently hit his ear and he had stiffen up. He had said that his ears were sensitive and they were his only weak spot. She felt somewhat embarrassed for doing it but before she could talk herself out of it she gently bit down on his earlobe. He instantly stiffened up and moved away, his eyes had widen in size once more and the look in them was indescribable. For a second she worried she had done it wrong but all her fears were chased away as he crashed his lips back down over hers, this time with much more passion and intensity then she's ever felt. Her arms wrapped around his neck, one hand weaving its way into his hair as he brought her leg around his waist. He was bringing her body in closer to his and that was when she felt it. It was nothing more than a poke but it sent a jolt of electricity through her that she let out such a moan that she didn't even recognize her own voice. He clearly heard it, based on the way he kicked his pants off was all the proof she needed to know that he heard her. Their kiss broke when he pulled his shirt off her and she gulped. This was the time she had been waiting for. It was the exact reason why she had bought this underwear.

She hadn't noticed her eyes had closed until she realized that she couldn't see his expression. Peeking them open she saw he was staring at her body, an intense look shinned in his eyes. A flash of emotion spread across his gaze, one that she knew shouldn't appear during this kind of situation. This definitely hadn't been the reaction she was expecting. "Tsukasa...?" she reached to cup his cheek with her hand and was glad that he held it.

"Tell me..." He dragged her hand along so he could kiss her palm. "Is this the underwear those two guys helped you pick out?" his voice was low but demanding and his eyes reflected the same.

She nodded, not sure what else to do. She had bought this specifically for him because she wanted him to be stunned by her beauty and not laugh in her face from her bra breaking. "Do you not like it?" she felt so stupid for asking but she needed to know if she was even stupider for asking a bunch of stranger for advice on what to wear for her boyfriend.

He didn't answer at first, instead he continued to stare at her body. "I love it," he kissed her hand again. "You look amazing," he leaned forward so that his forehead was touching hers. "I'm just annoyed that there are other guys who also know just how beautiful this looks on you."

She smiled. She should have known his sudden attitude chance was fueled by jealousy. "They didn't see me in it. They only picked it out."

"Guys have good imaginations." He informed her, his gaze staring directly into hers so she could known the truth in his words. So she could know he too imagined her in such a manner.

She felt heat gather in her face. "I really doubt they would spare me a second thought." She had caught a glimpse of the two girls they were with and she knew she would never be their type. Not unless she went from an A to a D over night. "Besides even if they did by some miracle find me attractive it wouldn't change anything. I love you." This time it was her words that were full of truth. It didn't matter who it was no one would ever be able to replace him from her heart.

They didn't say anything more because they didn't need too. Her words eased his jealously and his kiss silently told her that he felt the same. His hands reached behind to unhook her bra, the soft material slipped off her with ease and as if time had stilled she sat there, revealing her body to him. She always felt so insecure about her breasts because the other girls in her class always seemed to have bigger ones. She knew most guys preferred girls with more to them but from the way he was looking at her you would think he was staring at a work of art. It made her feel beautiful. His hands cupped her breasts, feeling them, kissing them, molding them with his large hands and making her moan like there was no tomorrow. She sat, her mind becoming a blank slate as she felt him work wonders with his hands. She's seen him take down gangs of guys that were stupid enough to try and mug them, she knew the power those hands had in them but even in his firm caress of her body she could still feel the tenderness that he only ever showed her. He was making her feel so much with such simple touches. She never knew it was possible to feel this way but she was starting to get greedy and she wanted more. But before she could go on with her desire she wanted him to feel the same, after all this time was meant for both of them. With shaky hands she reached down to pull off his boxers. She's read a few books on what to do during these times and she gulped at the thought of doing them. She wanted him to experience the same pleasures she was but she still wasn't completely sure of herself. His hands covered hers and he kissed her gently, silently telling her that for now this was enough. They would be time in the future for them to do more. She smiled into the kiss and together they removed his boxers. He was leaning over her, completely naked and she saw all of him. Everything that made up Tsukasa Daidouji and she thought he was the most beautiful creature she has ever seen. Her body tensed up slightly when he grasped her underwear, her body began to tremor slightly. She cursed her nerves for picking now of all times to act up but a kiss from him eased her beating heart and she let the fabric slip away from her body without a second thought. She was still nervous but being there with him like this felt right. Now she too was lying there naked before his eyes and instead of feeling the intense fear she thought she would she felt exhilarated. They were now about to take the final step into their relationship. They laid there, each staring at the other's naked flesh and a smile on each of their faces as she reached out for him and he happily returned her embrace. Their naked bodies touched and she gulped, she could feel every inch of his desires and feelings in this one embrace and it nearly made her faint.

Only one thing was stopping her from finally completely the act.

"Tsukasa," she whispered into his neck.

"What?" he may not be able to kiss her lips anymore but he still ran his lips down her face. "Are you nervous?" he knew this was her first time. It was his too but he wanted her to enjoy it. She would be the one to feel the most pain and he wanted this moment to be as enjoyable as he could make it. He cupped her cheek in one hand, staring down at the beautiful brown eyes that he never got tired of staring at.

She shook her head. "It's not that," she blushed slightly at the question and knew that this wasn't something she should be asking now but she realized that there was still one thing missing. "Do you have protection?"

He cocked his head to the side, an eyebrow raised with a look that said her question was a strange one to him. "What does having bullet proof glass have to do with us sleeping together?"

Suddenly it felt like the world had come crashing down on them.

Tsukushi groaned, grasping at her head and making them both sit up. "Not that stupid. I mean do you have any condoms?" she didn't even want to think about why her question would cause him to think of bullet proof glass or why he even had windows made up of such materials.

The look on his face told her all she needed to know.

"You didn't buy any did you?" he shook his head and she sighed.

"Well what does it matter? We love each other." He tried to argue.

"That doesn't matter. I'm not running the risk of getting pregnant." She was only seventeen and still in high school. She was too young to have a baby. Not to mention the fact that there was no way she could even afford to take care of one.

He frowned at this. "Do you think I would leave you if you did?" was she doubting him? Did she think he was like those creeps that just sleep with girls and then disappear once they get pregnant?

"No, of course now. I know you're not like that," she blushed, the next few words she was about to say made her feel shy. "But we're still young and I want to be selfish and have more time with you all to myself before any babies come along." She knew exactly what her words sounded like but it was how she really felt. She loved Tsukasa with all her heart and if their relationship stayed the way it was she could easily imagine marrying him and having kids together.

He smiled at her words. It warmed his heart to hear her say that. Cupping both her cheeks in his hands, one of his thumbs tracing the smooth skin that he held he looked at her with all the affection and desire he felt towards her. "Idiot." He slammed his forehead into hers and crossed his arms as she fell down with a cry of pain. "Saying something like that isn't going to help calm me down." If anything it had the opposite effect. He may be young but he can see a future with Tsukushi and hearing that she felt the same had his blood pumping. For most guys having a girl say something like that would probably have sent them running for the hills but he wasn't like the others. For him there was no one else. And to hear that the woman he loves had the same hopes for a future together made him want to do it even more.

Tsukushi held her aching forehead with both hands. She certainly hadn't been expecting him to do that to her. "Hey. What you do that for?" she sat back up, tears gathered in the corner of her eyes from the impact. It had really hurt.

"I needed some way to take out my frustration." He told her matter-of-factly. With a low sigh he picked the blanket up and wrapped it around her naked body as he got under the sheets. Once they were both bundled up he pulled her to him, holding her as close as he possibly could. "Next time I'll be ready." He muttered into her hair as her head resting in the crock of his neck. His body was still agitated and pulsing but for him it was enough to hold her in his arms.

She smiled at those words. Most guys would not have been so nice after being so close to sex and then being denied. Most guys would have probably called her every name in the book before breaking up with her to find some other girl that would sleep with them. But that's what made him so great. He was a one of kind guy and she really was lucky to be with him. They really were so close to doing it but the risk was too great to take just because they were ready to take the next step. Besides it wasn't like this was the last time they would get a chance to try. If they were ready now then it meant that they would be ready next time but much better prepared. "You're a really good guy, Tsukasa." She snuggled closer into, getting her body in a comfortable position to sleep.

He sighed into her hair. Her words were nice but it only made his heart beat and that was not what he needed right now. "You know, sometimes you really piss me off."

She laughed. "I love you too."


	5. Chapter 5

Tsukushi has never felt more peaceful in her entire life. It was as if everything was right in the world and she was waking up from her own personal heaven. And she knew the reason why she felt this way. The events of last night flashed in her mind and it instantly made a smile come onto her face. Even though nothing happened it still felt like they had a magical night together. She was wrapped securely in his arms, her head had moved from the crock of his neck to resting on top of his chest, the sound of his heart beat thudded softly in her ear. She snuggled closer to listen more closely. He was a over a foot taller than her so she had grown used to resting against his chest whenever he held her. The sound of his heart had become her favorite melody and one she had grown addicting to hearing. The arms that held her pulled her closer so his lips could kiss the top of her head, letting her know he was awake. "Good morning." His heart was beating even faster now. Her was beating just as fast.

This wasn't the first time she's woken up in his arms. After that first night she stayed over she had started to spend more nights with him. They had always stayed out in the living room sleeping on his couch to avoid the temptation of going too far. But there was something about waking up together with him in bed that made her feel like a child opening the exact present they had asked Santa for. "Good morning." She lifted her head up to look at him, her eyes open now and she felt her smile widen when she saw the look of complete and utter happiness on his face. It seems he felt the same way she had.

They didn't say much after that, they were content with just laying in the arms of the other. The sun shined in from his bedroom window and it felt so nice on her face but it was also a bitter reminder. Today was Sunday and in a couple of hours they would have to separate. It was the day of his eighteenth birthday where he would spend it with his family and she had work later that afternoon. She had never been so tempted in her life to call out of work and just spend the day in bed with him. She never imagined such a paradise could exist until she woke up with him like this. She closed her eyes again, the lull of his heart was making her fall back to sleep. "It'd be nice if we could stay like this all day." She knew she was being selfish by voicing her desires when they both had commitments they needed to attend to but she couldn't help herself. When she was with him she didn't feel like voicing her real desires was such a bad thing. She was always the sensible one in her family, always putting their well beings first so they could all live a happy life. There had been many times when all she wanted to do was scream and shout about their poor situation but she always held it in because she felt she needed to act mature and deal with things like an adult. But with him she felt she could freely be herself and not have to worry about the consequences.

"Yeah, it really would." If she had been looking she would have seen the desire shining in his eyes. He pulled her even closer, if possible, burying his face in her hair as he held her. This moment was pure perfection and he didn't want it to come to an end. When he was with Tsukushi he felt like his existence was complete. His real life was with her and not out there in the world that he kept hidden from her. She was the best thing that could have ever happened to him and he didn't want to do anything that could cause him to lose her but he knew that every day he kept his secret the risk of losing her was growing. "Tsukushi," he called to her softly, one hand resting on her bare shoulder as his thumb absentmindedly traced patterns over her skin. "Can we meet up later tonight?"

She was so close to falling back asleep. His heart always acted like some sort of lullaby that put in her some kind of relaxed state of absolute peace. But at his question his heart seemed to race and it woke her up. "What for?" she tried to look up but she couldn't because of the position they were in. "I thought you had that dinner party with your family?"

He didn't respond, at least not right away. His eyes were staring out at the window and out into the city that was now awake and going about the day as usual. Out there was a world he wished he didn't have to go back too. "I need to tell you something. Something I should have told you a long time ago." What he would tell her would change everything but it was something that he needed to do. She needed to know the truth about him once and for all. He just hoped it wouldn't come back to slap him in the face.

Tsukushi hadn't meant too but her body stiffened up on instincts. He had something to tell her that he should have told her a long time ago? What did he mean by that? Did it have something to do with his family? She could hear his heart racing in his chest, letting her know he was feeling just as anxious as she was now. It was so strange, he wanted to tell her something but it was only making her more confused. "Sure," She didn't know what exactly was going on but she trusted him and knew that he had a reason for everything. "What time is good for you?"

He moved his gaze from the window to a picture frame that sat on his nightstand. It was one of the many frames that held pictures of them that were scattered about his room and the rest of his apartment. In the picture he was standing behind her with both arms wrapped securely around her front. She was dressed in a pink kimono for some festival she had dragged him too. She had a huge smile on her face as one hand was resting over his. It was a busy day, filled with people and screaming children and right after they went to the coffee shop where they gone that fateful day in the snow."Midnight, at our spot. That's where I'll tell you everything." His voice was muffled by her brown locks but she heard him as if he had been shouting.

She nodded in agreement at the location and settled herself back into his comforting embrace, trying her best not to think too much about what he needed to tell her. If she did it would only make her worry even more.

If she had been able to look at his face she would have seen the worry shining in his eyes.

They stayed in bed for a couple more hours after that, enjoying the warmth of each other's body and only leaving when both of their stomachs let out a fierce growl. Their combined noise made a blush come onto her face while he chuckled in amusement. She however did not find any of this funny and hit him with a pillow before wrapping the blanket around her naked body and proceeded to get ready. He yelled at her for a bit before he too got up and dressed himself, only he had no qualms about walking around naked. She chucked another pillow at him before running into the bathroom in an embarrassed huff. Once they were both dressed she put them both to work on their breakfast but quickly learned what a disaster he was in the kitchen and kicked him out before he burned the entire apartment complex down. Their breakfast was a simple one and they ate it the same way they had eaten the dinner she had made last night, sitting close together at the table and making light conversation with each other. What he had said in the bedroom still hung over both their heads but neither of them were going to let that stop them from enjoying their morning together. Once they finished with breakfast they grudgingly began to put on their coats and shoes, their time together was done and they had to go back out into the world and wait until later tonight to be able to meet again. It certainly had been an eventful night, though things didn't go exactly as planned Tsukushi didn't feel regret for not being able to take the final step. For her it was enough to just be able to spend the night and waking up in his arms. Honestly she was still very tempted to call out so that she could stay with him in his apartment but she couldn't do that. She had work and he had to go be with his family. Besides they promised to meet up later that night to talk.

She was already at his door, her winter coat on as she waited for him with one foot tapping impatiently. She was going to remind him of this the next time he complained about her showing up late for a date. She wanted to scold him for taking so long to get ready but once her eyes caught sight of the red scarf wrapped securely around his neck she felt her heart thump with joy and a smile lit up on her face. He saw the change in her feature and smiled himself, happy that he was able to make her smile. Reaching out to grab her hand he felt his own heart skip a beat when she intertwined their fingers together. They left his apartment, walking hand in hand all the way to the bus stop and stayed close to the other even as the bus pulled up and came to a halt in front of them.

Tsukushi turned to stand in front of him, her hand still in his. "So tonight?"

He nodded, "Yeah, tonight." He had a distant look in his head at the thought but he still smiled at her.

She could see despite the smile that he was trying his best to hide what he was really feeling. And he was doing a good job of it but even with his best effort she could see the worry shining in his deep brown eyes. Her heart clenched at the look and without thinking she stood on the tips of her toes and pecked him softly on the lips. She stepped back and smiled at him, she hoped that quick kiss would help him with whatever troubles he was dealing with. "Well, I'll see you later." She waved him goodbye, spinning on her heels to follow after the rest of the people boarding the bus but before she could even take one step away he spun her back around and pulled her in for another kiss. This one much more intense than her small peck. She returned the kiss without so much as a second thought and wrapped her arms around his body. It seems like her kiss did what it was intended to do because he was no longer worried because now all he could think was about her.

_Honk! Honk!_

"Hey, lady are you getting on or not!"

The cries of the angry bus driver broke them apart, a blush on her face and an annoyed look on his. Shaking her head Tsukushi leaned back in for one more quick kiss but the driver honked his horn again and this time threatened to leave her if she didn't get on now. Rolling her eyes at the old man's childish attitude she kissed Tsukasa's cheek and ran onto the bus. "I'll see you tonight." She waved to him as she got on the bus and glared at the bus driver who shut the doors just as she got on and started to drive off. She quickly found a seat and from the window looked at her boyfriend's figure that was slowly getting smaller and smaller. He was standing there, watching her go and waving back. Once she could no longer see him she settled into her seat, fingers tracing over her lips and giggled at the tingle of warmth that remained from their kiss. It certainly had been an abrupt goodbye but she didn't let it get to her, after all they would be seeing each other later that night. Even if she was still worried about what he needed to tell her she wouldn't let it get to her. She loved Tsukasa and she wanted to see him again as soon as possible.

Tsukasa felt the same way as he stood there at the bus stop. He felt the longing in his chest grow as she got further away but that was nothing new. He always felt this way whenever they were forced to go their separate ways. He wished they could spend more time together but sadly as of right now that wasn't possible. But maybe once he told her all that he needed to tell her spending more time together could become a possibility. Smiling into the handmade scarf that she gave him he hummed a soft tune to himself and went back to his apartment. As much as he hated doing it he needed to start and get ready for tonight.

Had either of them been paying attention to the world around them they would have noticed a black car that was parked across the street. The windows tinted so the outside world couldn't see what was going on inside but those riding inside could easily see all that was going on outside.

_**~X~**_

Tsukushi hummed a happy tune to herself as she stood at the counter, packing up a box of sweets for a customer. "Thank you. Have a great day!" her cheery attitude was apparently too cheery as the couple that bought the sweets walked out of the store in a hurry, muttering to themselves about the strange girl that worked there.

"You're certainly in a good mood," Unlike the customers in their store, Yuuki found her best friend's happy behavior rather amusing. It had been rare to see her looking so cheerful like this but once she met her boyfriend those moods seemed to become more frequent. "I can only assume this has something to do with Daidouji-san?" she leaned in closer, looking around to make sure their manager wasn't listening in. Thankfully she was in the back taking a phone call. "Does this mean you guys did it?"

Tsukushi shook her head. "No, we didn't. He forgot to buy condoms and we didn't want to run the risk of getting pregnant so instead we just sleep together, in the literal sense," she felt her cheeks turn a bright red as she discussed last night events. "But even if we didn't get to do anything the night was still perfect. Being able to wake up with him like I did this morning was like a dream come true." She laughed happily to herself as she thought back to that morning when she woke up in his arms. She felt like she had been in a fairytale and her prince was right by her side.

Yuuki was definitely surprised to hear this. By her friend's behavior she thought for sure something had happened but hearing that nothing happened was kind of disappointing. She had been hoping for a more juicy story. "Tsukushi, you really are a simple girl." She sighed, wondering if the day would come when she would ever hear the story of them taking the next step.

Their manager appeared from the back with a huge smile on her face. She all but skipped to the door and put up the closed sign before locking up. "Alright, girls that's enough chitchat. We just got booked for a big party that's happening tonight and they ordered all the sweets we have in the entire store!" she cheered.

The two girls did not share in her enthusiasm.

"A party?" Tsukushi blinked, her mind trying to process this new and sudden piece of information. "Kind of last minute."

Yuuki nodded in agreement. "And to order all the sweets we have, just what kind of people are they?"

Tsukushi shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe a senior citizen center is having some sort of weird tea ceremony." She deduced as she and her best friend set to work on packing up all the sweets they had into box after box and loaded them up on the truck. Once every last thing in the store was packed up the three started to drive off, the two young girls trying to think of any other reason for someone buying out their whole store but the only thing that made sense was the senior citizens. Their sweets were usually more popular with the older crowd and they always went well with tea ceremonies so they figured it was probably some old man performing a tea ceremony.

Boy were they wrong.

Their eyes nearly bugged out of their head when they pulled up to the huge mansion. Hundreds of guests were getting out of foreign cars, dressed in designer gowns and tuxedoes, and wore jewelry they were sure cost more than the average person's college fund. Only their manager seemed able to function as the pulled the truck into the back and squealed with joy when a bunch of men started to unload their truck and set up all their sweets at a table that was set up just for them. "Alright, girls this is a very big deal for our shop. Everyone here is world famous and if word gets out our shop catered to such an event business will start booming!" she had tears of joy gathering in her eyes at the thought. She quickly ushered the two girls to their table while she stayed behind to help manage all their products and make sure nothing had gotten lost or broken on the drive up.

The two girls stood at their table, their bodies still frozen from the shock of being at such an event. "Tsukushi," Yuuki called to her best friend, her mind suddenly registered the ability to speak. "What in the world is going on?"

"I have no idea." she replied, any rational thoughts had left her once they pulled up at their location.

The two remained standing there in that stiff state for a while before their bodies started to ache in complaint and they finally relaxed. Soon all they did was just stand there and smile at all the guest that passed by their table but all they got in return were confused glares and hushed whispered. Even the other guest agreed that it was strange for them to be at such an event. After a couple of hours of just standing there they finally were able to completely relax and wished for the party to end quickly.

Tsukushi sighed, checking her phone for the time and frowned when she saw it was already 10:30. She had less than two hours to go until she was scheduled to meet up with Tsukasa but by the looks of this party it didn't appear it would be ending anytime soon. With a quick glance at her happy-go-lucky manager dashed any hopes she had of asking to leave early. "What was the point of us being here?" she muttered softly so the others didn't hear her.

Yuuki could only shrug but she was feeling the same. "The only person that stopped to try anything was that old man." She looked at the fully stocked table full of sweets that everyone seemed to be completely avoiding.

"With a whole buffet of exotic food who would want to eat a bunch of old fashion sweets." Tsukushi groaned, looking at the tables of food that was across the way. Both girls felt their stomachs grumble at the sight. "And besides we're all the way in the back of the party. Hardly anyone is going to pay attention to our dinky little booth." It was true, at the very center of the party were tables of food, drinks, and displays of who knows what that had captured the attention of everyone at the party. While they were placed almost near the back of the house where the only people that even noticed them were those looking to either smoke or hook up. For the most part they couldn't even see what was happening at the party because of the giant pile of presents that was blocking them. Yet another reason why no one was paying attention to their booth. She rolled her eyes at all the expensive looking gifts and it only reminded her of her incredible dislike of the rich and famous. Sighing to herself once more she set an alarm on her phone, with any luck maybe she could sneak out for a bit to meet up with Tsukasa. Or at the very least call him to let him know that she was going to be late. "I think someone is playing a cruel joke on our manager." She wished she could speak up to their employer but she knew nothing she said would be able to reach her. The woman was in her own little world.

"Well, what do we have here?"

A new voice had joined them and Tsukushi gasped when she recognized it. "It's you. The two perverts from the other day!" she cried, pointing an accusing finger at the two men.

Nishikado rolled his eyes at being called a pervert. "Now is that anyway to thank us after all we did to help you?" he grinned, amused at the redness that was starting to form on the girl's cheeks. His gaze then landed on the other girl next to her and he grinned, leaning in closer and held out his hand. "The name's Soujirou Nishikado. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." He took Yuuki's hand in his and kissed the top of it.

Yuuki didn't have the ability to respond, her eyes had turned to swirls and her entire face had turned pink. "Yuuki, don't fall for it. He's only after one thing." Tsukushi shook her best friend, trying to snap her out of the daze before she fell for the guy's trap. No way was she going to let some pervert take advantage of her best friend.

Mimasaka laughed at the sight before him, stuffing his hands in the pocket of his suit. "Looks like she has you all figured out, Soujirou."

Said man glared at the two. "Shut up, Akira."

Tsukushi wished these two would go away already. So far all they've done is mess with her and they seemed to get some kind of sick enjoyment out of it. She was about to tell them to leave when she thought more about them. _"Why do those names sound familiar?" _She wasn't sure why but she swore that she's heard those names somewhere before? It was obvious these guys came from money so maybe they had been mentioned in a magazine. It seemed logical but why was her gut telling her otherwise?

During their little meeting Tsukushi had failed to notice another who was with them. He had light chestnut brown hair and violet eyes that held such a gentleness to them that she felt her heart skip a little. He was standing off in the back, silently watching them with an almost bored look on his face but she could see some amusement shining in his eyes. He seemed to caught sight of her watching him and he took that as his cue to step forward and join the group. He held out his hand to her. "Rui Hanazawa." His voice was light but deep, almost like that of an adult.

Tsukushi returned the gesture. "Tsukushi Makino."

He nodded before looking down at the sweets before him. "That pink one. Can you wrap it up for me?"

"Yeah, sure." She quickly went underneath the table to pull out a box and handed him the small sweet.

"What are you going to do with that?" Soujirou asked, clearly confused by his friend's behavior. You don't even like sweets and we're at a party. Don't tell me you're going to walk around with that thing all night."

Rui just shrugged his shoulders. "I know that but it's cute. I like it."

"You're a strange one," Soujirou muttered. "He's always doing this. Sometimes he'll collect stones off the side of the roads because he says they're pretty."

"Soujirou, shut up." Rui was not amused by his friend revealing such a piece of information about him.

Tsukushi stood there, watching them before speaking up. "What's wrong with that?" three sets of eyes turned to look at her now. "So he has a hobby, I don't see what's so strange about that." So the guy liked collecting things that he thought were pretty. How did that make him any different from someone who collected stamps or old coins.

Rui chuckled softly at her answer and smiled softly. "You're really interesting."

Tsukushi felt her cheeks turn pink and she had to look away. She was sure if she hadn't already been involved with Tsukasa she could easily imagine herself falling in love with someone like him. He seemed to gentle and kind and so mature, unlike Tsukasa who could act like such a little kid from time to time. But then again that childish nature of his was just another quality she had fallen in love with. It was what made him, him. She touched the Saturn necklace that was wrapped securely around her neck, he did indeed have a childish side to him but she has been there many times to witness when that child would suddenly turn into a man.

"Speaking of interesting," Akira who had been silent up till decided it was time to change to topic at hand. When he saw her playing with the necklace and the look she got on her face told him that she was thinking of her boyfriend. "Tell us, Makino did anything interesting happen between you and your boyfriend?" he asked with a playful wink.

Her cheeks flared up once more. "I don't see how that's any of your business." She crossed her arms, refusing to tell them anything.

"So in other words, nothing happen." Soujirou said in disappointment and she nearly fell over. How did they know that? "And after we picked out the perfect piece of lingerie for you too. Don't tell me you chickened out."

"Maybe she had a panic attack and passed out." Akira added in and the two started laughing.

Brown eyes glared at the two laughing men. "Oh, shut up!" she cried, making them both stop and look at her. They clearly hadn't been expecting her to get so upset. "Look, if you must know I did not chicken out. In fact I was more than willing to go all the way but he forgot the buy condoms and I was not running the risk of getting pregnant." She didn't know why she was telling them all this but for whatever reason she felt the need to explain herself to them. She did not appreciate being made fun of by a bunch of guys she had only met for the second time.

The three were silent for only a moment as they thought of her words.

Rui had started to laugh. He at least had the decency to turn around and try to muddle his laughter by placing his hand over his mouth.

"So he forgot to bring condoms with him." Akira sighed, shaking his head at the thought.  
"What a complete idiot," Soujirou crossed his arms. "Any guy with common sense knows to always carry around even at least one condom with him just in case."

"He must be pretty stupid." Akira added in.  
"A real dunce." Soujirou said.

For whatever reason Rui just started laughing even more at this.

The others looked at him as if he had gone crazy. Sure the conversation they were having was amusing but it wasn't that amusing. Then again Rui did always have a strange sense of humor.

Soujirou just shook his head at this and turned his focus back on the brown-haired girl before them. "So when's the next time you guys are going to attempt to consummate your love?"

Brown eyes glared at the way he spoke. She got the feeling he was still making fun of her. "None of your business."

Akira grinned. "That means tonight." He chuckled when he saw her blushing face skyrocket. "Well you're in luck my dear. Because we have exactly what you need." He pulled out a brand new box of condoms and handed it to her. "Try not to use them all in one go."

"Perverts!" she chucked the box right back at him. "As if I'm going to accept condoms from a bunch of strangers." She had learned from her previous mistakes. If it was ever found out that she accepted anything else from these guys then she was sure Tsukasa would lose it. It had taken her nearly an hour to calm him down after the underwear incident. She wanted to say more but gasped when her phone started to ring, pulling it out quickly before her manger could complain she frowned when she saw the time. She had set an alarm for 11:00, she figured it would take at least an hour to make it too their spot since she would have to be careful sneaking out and with how slow the buses go she didn't want to risk showing up late.

"Got a hot date?" she jumped back in shock when she saw all three were now standing directly in front of her.

"Yeah..." she gulped, putting her phone back in her pocket before an idea suddenly hit her. "You guys wouldn't happen to know a good way for me to sneak out of here for a little while, would you?"

"A way out?" Soujirou repeated, looking slightly confused before grinning. "Meeting up for a late night rendezvous, are we?"

She nodded, "Something like that."

Akira stepped in next. "Just leave it to us. We'll help you sneak out." With that said he walked off.

"Yuuki, will you be ok by yourself if I leave? I promise I shouldn't be gone for more than an hour or two." She felt bad for leaving her best friend like this but this was something she had to do.

Said girl nodded, "Don't worry, I'll be fine and I'll cover for you if our manager asks where you went. Besides I really doubt anyone will notice." She added in, looking at the party once more and saw that not a soul was paying attention to their little booth.

"Like Akira said, just leave everything to us," once more he leaned in closer to Yuuki and flashed her his devilish grin. "And besides, she won't be alone. I'll be here to keep her company."

Tsukushi quickly pulled her best friend away from the black-haired man and his perverted way. "Do me a favor, if he even gets anywhere near my friend punch him for me." She turned to Rui Hanazawa, asking him for help to protect her best friend and her virtue.

The light haired boy took a moment before responding. "Sure."

"Rui, what the hell!?" Soujirou couldn't believe his old friend had just sold him out.

"Payback." Rui grinned, sticking out his tongue. He was still annoyed about being made fun of earlier for his habit of collecting items and not this was getting in a little revenge to tease his old friend.

Tsukushi laughed at the two. She had to admit even though they were pretty weird they seemed like good guys. Once more her hand came up to touch the jeweled necklace and she felt her heart race at the thought of actually being able to see her boyfriend. She may even get there early, that would definitely shock him. She giggled at the thought but stopped when she noticed Rui Hanazawa was staring at her.

"Did your boyfriend give you that?" he asked, pointing to her necklace.

She nodded, "Yes, it was a present for my birthday."

He grinned in amusement. "He must really love you to purchase such a fine piece of jewelry."

She blushed at his words and smiled. "Thanks. It's sort of become my treasure in a way. Although I suppose for you rich people treasuring something as cheap as this wouldn't even fall under the category of treasure." She knew from the start they were rich. Based on not only their appearance but on their attitude and the fact that they were guests as such an extravagant told her as much but she had to admit for rich people they weren't so bad.

"Cheap?" Soujirou looked at her like she was crazy. "Are you out of your mind. Something like that is obviously custom made and anyone with eyes can tell those jewels are real. That cheap necklace of yours had to cost at least two thousand dollars."

Tsukushi returned the crazy look he had given her. It felt like her mind had shut down and jumped into overdrive all at once. "You must be joking. My boyfriend has a simple office job. No way could he afford something like what you're suggesting." Nothing what he was saying was making sense. Even if someone's paycheck was a good amount after the government taking out the taxes and then paying bills, rents, and buying food you'd be lucky to have half of the original amount. It was completely illogical and he had to be mistake. But even knowing all that why was her heart racing so much?

Soujirou raised an eyebrow at this and looked much more intrigued about this necklace. Leaning forward he grasps the piece of jewelry that hung around her neck to get a better examination of it. "You said your boyfriend works in an office?" he asked just for clarity as he held the same jewel in his hand.

Tsukushi nodded.

He stepped back, stuffing his hands in his pockets and shook his head. "And what exactly kind of office job is this?"

She looked away at this. "I'm not really sure. He doesn't like to talk about his work." She didn't like where this was going. If they continued to ask more questions about his life then she wouldn't be able to answer any of them. He kept his private life just that, private. She knew how weird it was that after dating for a year she still didn't know much about him but overtime she had grown to accept, but that doesn't mean she likes it.

"That so?" Soujirou didn't look very surprised at this. "Sounds like your boyfriend is leading a double life."

She gulped. "A double life?"

"You know, he says he's one person but in reality he's another. He keeps things about his job and family secret and always dodges you questions whenever you ask about them," with every word he was saying it felt like her heart was getting heavier and heavier. Her hands were shaking and she was sure there was an ugly look on her face. She wished he would shut up. Hearing him say such things was only making her feel worse. She just wanted him to leave her alone and forget everything he said. She wanted to be with Tsukasa and know that everything was alright. She wanted everything he said to be wrong. Because everything he was saying were the thoughts she's had all along but didn't want to bring them to the surface. "Makino, there's only one word to describe what kind of guy you're dating," he paused, locking eyes with her as he spoke. "Yakuza."

His face was so serious that she nearly fell over from shock as did Yuuki while Rui once more turned around so he could laugh again. "What the hell!?" she cried, moving away from the table so she could yell at him better. "You nearly gave me a heart attack by saying all that stuff and then you go and say something stupid like that!" she cried, wanting so badly to punch him. She had really been worried about all those things he said but if there was one thing she knew for sure and that no matter how private he may be there was no way her boyfriend could ever be a Yakuza. "Yes, it's true he is violent and has a bad temper and he'll beat up anybody who pisses him off and has the tendency to order people around and..." she stopped herself there, realizing that what she was saying was not helping. It was sad to say but suddenly the thought of Tsukasa being a Yakuza wasn't sounding so silly anymore. An imagine of him dressed in a kimono holding a katana in his hands appeared in her mind and she shuddered at it. "It's true he is violent but there's no way he's a Yakuza. I know exactly what kind of guy he is and he's-!"

She was cut off by the hollering of two new voice.

"Come on, Tsukasa!"

"I said no!"

"Don't be like that. This girl really needs our help."

"And why should I help some random girl."

"It's not like I'm asking for anything big. Besides you said yourself you're leaving soon."

"Yeah, because I have somewhere important to be. I refuse to be late all because of some stupid girl!"

Tsukushi felt time stop, her heart seemed to skip of beat but instead of from love it was from panic. Those voices she recognized them. One from the guy who had been with them before and the other was one she always heard in her dreams. _"It can't be." _It took all the strength she had to turn her head to the side and face the direction of where the voices were coming from. When her eyes finally caught sight of the two figures it felt like someone had just slapped her.

Akira could only sigh as he continued to drag his friend with him by the arm towards the group he had left earlier. When he finally saw the group in sight he grinned and waved over at them. "Hey, sorry for taking so long. This guy is being as stubborn as usual," he said, continuing to pull his friend along. "Anyway, here's the girl I was telling you about. She needs a ride home so she can meet her boyfriend for a little late night loving."

Tsukasa, who up till now had refused to make eye contact with anyone from the group, merely spared a single glance at the girl who needed his help but once his eyes landed on her figure he couldn't look away. "Tsukushi." Dread spread throughout his body when he saw her. His heart clenched at the look in her eyes, complete and utter shock shined in them but at the same time there was pain. Pain that he caused.

Soujirou smiled when he saw his two friends had joined them and gestured between the two. "Makino, we'd like you to meet the birthday boy himself, Tsukasa Domyouji."

It suddenly felt like a bomb had gone off, her ears were ringing with her heart race pulsing and her mind spinning so bad she was sure she would faint if she didn't sit down soon. But no matter how much she willed herself to she couldn't move because standing right before her eyes was her boyfriend of one year. "Tsukasa..."


	6. Chapter 6

Silence engulfed the group of teens. Yuuki had her mouth covered by her hands, shock was clear in her eyes before compassion joined in as she looked at her best friend. She had yet to move a muscle and she wished there was something she could do to help.

Soujirou and Akira stood together, looking at the group in confusion as to why suddenly things had gotten so serious. Rui stayed in the back, a neutral look on his face but his eyes were studying the group. He was waiting to see what would happen.

Tsukushi felt like she was having an out of body experience. It was like she was watching one of those cheesy soap operas they always show in the middle of the day. If only that was case. _"This can't be real." _Tears gathered in her eyes as her breathing began to pick up. What she was looking at couldn't be true. It had to be some kind of trick her mind was playing on her or an illusion or just a really cruel and stupid prank. It had to be anything but true!

He saw her emotions flash through her eyes, the inner turmoil that was no doubt going on inside her. He knew how it felt because he was feeling the same. "Tsukushi..." he walked towards her with shaking hands and a racing heart.

She jumped at the sound of his voice. It was the first move she made since she froze up and it was out of fear. Hearing his voice, watching as her name left his lips, listening to him say it the same way he always does is what made it real for her. Her mind couldn't take it. It was refusing to comprehend what was going on and she was forced to do the only thing she knew how to do in situations she couldn't handle.

She ran.

"Tsukushi!" he chased after her the moment she took off. She was moving fast, the fastest he's ever seen her move, but he refused to let her get away. Not after everything they've been through. He wouldn't allow her to go like this. He caught up to her with ease; his long legs and speed had helped him catch her before she was able to make it off the property. He held her wrist, it was soft and fragile but he knew that if she wanted to she could knock him out. She's done it before. But she wasn't doing any of that, she was just standing there breathing heavily and had yet to turn around to face him. By now their group of friends had caught up with them but remained in the background. He didn't bother with any of them because he wasn't concerned about them, all his focus and care was for her. "I wanted to tell you. I was planning to tonight after we met up. I know I should have told you the truth a long time ago but we were so happy together. I...I didn't want to do anything that might screw it up. I didn't want to lose you-"

She stopped him with a slap. Her hand made contact with his cheek, her brown eyes burning bright with tears and anger. "You idiot!" she cried, the tears now falling freely down her cheeks and all her emotion were coming out like a storm. "Do you have any idea what a selfish jerk you are? All I've heard you talk about this entire time is what you wanted. Didn't you once think about me or how I might feel about this? No, because all you were doing was thinking about yourself!" She pounded against his chest, her two tiny fists hitting him with everything she had. Her body felt heavy, almost like led, she felt ready to fall to the ground but she didn't stop in her attack on him.

He didn't try to move or stop her because knew that he deserved every punch.

"How dare you keep something like this a secret from me for an entire year. There were so many times you could have told me! I was in love with you but it wasn't even really you. I almost slept with you!" the realization of that was what made her stop her assault. She stepped away to wrap her arms around her body, one hand coming up to cover her quivering mouth. She almost lost her virginity to a man she didn't know. The thought sicken her.

Tsukasa saw the disgust in her eyes and it hurt him worse than any physical attack ever could. He placed himself in front of her, his two hands on her shoulders in hopes he could comfort her. "Please, you have to listen to me. If you just let me-" Once more she stopped him with a slap but when he saw the look in her eyes it felt like she had stabbed him.

She glared at him through her tears. How dare he deceive her like that. Did he get some kind of sick enjoyment out of messing with her? He had pretended to be someone he wasn't, making her fall more and more in love with him and last night they had nearly slept together. She thought she was having her first time with Tsukasa Daidouji but in reality for an entire year she was with a man that never existed. "Stay away from me!" She cried, pushing herself out of his grasp. She didn't know who this man was standing before her because the one she loved last name was Daidouji, not Domyouji. But that didn't matter because that person wasn't even real. "I hate you!" she ran once more. Neither her heart nor her mind could handle being there anymore. It felt like she would break if she stayed for a second longer. She raced past her manager, the guards at the gate and away from the world she had been to blind to see. She ran away from it all. From a world that was merely an illusion she was foolish enough to believe. She ran and ran until her legs finally gave out and she crashed to the ground. Her body lost the will to move, and the same could be said for her heart. It too had given out on her and all she could do was curl up on her side and cry. "Tsukasa...why..." she gripped the necklace tight in her hand, suddenly her treasure felt more like poison. She had loved the piece of jewelry the moment he gave it to her, the happy expression that he wore when she opened the box always popped into her mind whenever she wore it. But what once brought her happiness had now become a memento of what a fool she was.

"Tsukushi!"

The cries of her best friend rang out in her ears, as her footsteps grew closer. Sniffling to herself she stood back up and began to wipe the tears away with the edge of her sleeve. She tried her best to look strong and not appear as broken as she really was on the inside. After all she was Tsukushi Makino, she was a weed who didn't let what others did bother her. She was strong.

Yuuki had chased after her friend from the moment she took off running and had been there to witness the fight and felt her own heart break at what had taken place. But now that she caught up with her she wasn't sure what she was supposed to say. The words "I'm sorry" wouldn't be enough to help her, especially since they weren't words that were meant to come from her mouth.

Tsukushi tried to grin but she was sure it came out as a grimace more than anything. "Hey, crazy party right. I was really blown away by it all. It's such a shame that we didn't get a chance to eat anything." She laughed, trying her best to keep a straight face and prove that not only to her friend but also to herself that she was strong. She could get past all this if she just laughed it off. She had too or else it would hurt far too much.

Yuuki had tears of her own gather in her eyes. She knew exactly what her friend was doing. "Tsukushi, I'm so sorry." She hugged her best friend, holding her close and trying her best to comfort her. She would do her best to help her get through this and make sure that the next time she smiled it would be a real one.

Another laugh escaped her. "Hey, what's wrong? Sure, it was a shock but it's no big deal," she patted her friend's back as if she was the one who needed to be comforted. All this did was make Yuuki tighten her hold. "Yuuki, it's sweet what you're trying to do but you don't need to worry about me. I'm fine, really it's no big deal." She kept saying it hoping it would be true but no matter how much she wished for it, it would never come true. The tears gathered in her eyes once more, blinding her by how much there were. She tried holding them back but it was useless, all her will power had been used up. She returned the hug, burying her face in her friend's shoulder and broke down crying. Her wails echoed into the silent night, making dogs bark and the people who passed by look at her with pity. She didn't care who witnessed her breaking down because all she wanted to do was cry and pray that the pain would pass quickly.

**~X~**

It was like watching a horror film with the scene where the killer keeps stabbing at its victims was playing over and over in his head. Only instead of it being just a stupid movie it was real life and what his mind was torturing him with by replaying was what had just occurred between him and Tsukushi. It was like his body had been bonded by chained as he was forced to watch her cry and run away. The look of hate and disgust was so strong it felt like he was burning on the inside. He wanted to chase after her, hold her in his arms and make her listen to his words. Make her hear his reasoning behind his lie and just hold her until she understood why he did what he did. He knew it was wrong and he shouldn't have let it go on for so long but with every day he spent with her the worry and fear of losing her if she ever knew the truth grew. She meant more to him than life itself and he never wanted to do anything that could hurt her. He had been planning on telling her, to tell her everything about himself that he kept secret and let her know all about his world. He had spent the entire day rehearsing what he was going to say and would present to her all the wonders he had always wanted to show her while they were together. But none of that mattered now. She hated him.

His body shook in rage as once more his mind flashed him back to her shouting her new found hatred of him. He felt sick. He never wanted to hear those words leave her mouth. He loved her so much and to have the woman he loved say she hated him was too much for him to handle. With a cry of anguish he punched the wall of his house, grinding his knuckles into the hole he created. He would do this and more to the one that had ruined them. And he knew just who it was. Turning sharply he pushed past his group of friends and stalked back off to his party, eyes glaring at anyone who dared cross his path. When he did not see the one he was looking for his rage gathered once more and he started growling like a rabid dog.

"What the hell is you problem?" Tsubaki Domyouji, his elder sister who had been married and moved to American had come back for his eighteenth birthday party. After first he had been happy to have her back but right now the sight of her only reminded him of who he had been looking for. "You're eighteen years old, but here I find you growling like some wild animal. I know I didn't raise to behave like such a barbarian." She scolded him, pointing an accusing finger at him and his behavior but stopped when she finally got a good look at him. His entire body was tensed with one hand bleeding, the skin scrapped off with the hint of bone showing. However that wasn't what was bothering her. It was his eyes. They looked so lifeless, so dead, but so filled with rage that it had her take a step back.

"Where's mother?" his voice was even and low but his anger was clear by his tone. Being angry was nothing new for him, anyone who knew him could vouch that he had a temper and he knew how to use it. But tonight he was more than just angry. He was absolutely livid!

Tsubaki didn't know how to respond. Standing before her was the body of her little brother but the way he was behaving was someone she didn't know. She's seen many tantrums over the years but this was nothing like that. It was so much more. "She's in her office." Her mouth suddenly felt dry as she spoke and pointed towards their home where their mother was. Tsukasa didn't say anything, he stalked off and as she watched him go she felt fear. Not for herself but for their mother. She turned around to look at the three young men who had grown up with her brother and by the looks on their faces told her that they were feeling the same way she was. "What happened to, Tsukasa?"

Soujirou shook his head. "We're not sure ourselves."

"He started acting weird after he had this weird fight with this girl Makino who was working the sweets booth in the back." Akira gave her a short explanation of what happened. He was sure once they caught up with their friend and he calmed down they would get a full story but until now the short version would have to do.

This confused Tsubaki. "What sweet's booth? We didn't order one. Tsukasa hates things that are sweet." It didn't make any sense for them to have such a booth at their party for her brother if it wasn't something that he would enjoy. The party was basically one big set up to get in good with other businesses and corporations but their parents always made sure that everything they desired would always be at their party for their enjoyment.

Rui started running after his friend. "Come on, we should follow him." He called back to the group, pushing opening the double doors and entered the mansion. The group didn't argue and quickly caught up with him as they raced down the long hallways. The Domyouji mansion was as big as they come but for all of them they had spent nearly everyday running through these halls playing together and enjoying their youth. Now they were much older and had long ago stopped playing such childish games but it was thanks to those old games that they managed to catch up with Tsukasa as he stood outside the doors of his mother's office.

Tsukasa saw his friends and sister running towards him from the corner of his eye but he didn't care. Let them come. It would be good to have witnesses. With a swift kick he burst open the two large doors, a please feeling passed over him when he saw the hinges had come undone slightly. It made him glad to break something of hers; after all she had broken something of his. "You evil old hag!" he cried, wanting her to understand the full amount of his anger and his hatred for what she's done.

Kaede Domyouji sat calmly at her desk; papers were scattered order in an organized fashion with a pen in her one hand. She looked directly at her son, her cold eyes studying his angered form. "How dare you speak to me like that. After all I've done for you." She sneered, signing off on a document before moving onto another one.

Tsukasa growled, stepping forward and made sure his foot stomped on the ground to bring her full attention onto him. "All you've done for me? You've got some nerve saying that. You're the one who brought Tsukushi here, didn't you?!" he yelled, pointing an accusing finger at her. He already knew she was the one behind it her, this had his mother's name written all over it, but he wanted to hear her say the words. He wanted her to plead guilty to the crime she just committed. However she continued to remain silent. He growled and stomped his way over to her desk, slamming one hand down on the hard oak table. "How the hell did you even find out?" he was shaking, trying his best to hold himself back from hitting the woman that gave him life but after what she had done he found it hard to resist the temptation. But he kept himself from doing so; he needed to know how she discovered them. He was always so careful whenever he used his card or spent money and he made sure to always check for any guards that could be watching them.

Kaede sighed in exasperation. To her this whole thing was pointless and she saw no reason but it was obvious he wasn't going to let this matter go. "I did what is best for the Domyouji name. That girl is nothing but a peasant looking for a man with money to make her happy."

He felt his rage come back into full force. "Tsukushi, isn't like that!" he yelled out. How dare she say such things about the woman he loves. "She would never be with a man just because he has money. She didn't even know I was a Domyouji until tonight."

"Yes, I know," Kaede pulled all the documents into one pile and folded her hands over them in a businesslike manner. "I am already well aware of the ruse you went about while you were involved with that girl."

He was taken back. "You knew?" He knew that she kept tabs on his everyday life when it came to school but she left his personal life alone. She only ever checked up on his spending habits and if she felt he was spending too much on useless things. But he had been sure that when it came to Tsukushi that he had covered his tracks. How had she found out?

Sharp green eyes stared at her son, studying him before moving on to the others that were in the room. None of them had spoken a single word since they entered the room, they focus was all on Tsukasa and she had to admit she herself was curious. What had caused him to behave in such a foolish manner was beyond her but learning useless information was pointless, even if it did involve her heir. "It had come to my attention that you had purchased many strange items over the course of this year. You tried hiding the fact that you rented an apartment by spending more money on other items to divert my attention. Then I received noticed you ordered a custom made necklace from one of the finest jewelers in the world and paid him extra to not inform me about it. Your attentions were indeed suspicious but nothing that you hadn't already done in the past. I was willing to overlook it; after all as your duty as the heir of the Domyouji family you are entrusted to earn that money back in double. I had every intentions of closing out the apartment you purchased when to my utter horror I see you walking out with some girl, kissing in broad daylight and making a spectacle of yourself. What if the press had seen you leaving that place with that girl, they would have had a field day." She hissed, scolding him for his foolish behavior and not thinking about the consequences of his actions. What she had seen that morning churned her stomach and left her thumb with a small scar from when she crushed her wine glass after watching her son kiss some strange girl. She already had her guards make sure there was no press surrounding the area and if there were any to pay them off to keep the story a secret. "I had my men follow the girl and I learned more about her. How pitifully poor her family is. It amazes me they're not living on the streets with the rest of the trash. I was sure she was merely with you for the money but when I received the reports back all the girl kept talking about was a man that went by the name, Tsukasa Daidouji. After some research I came to understand exactly what was going on and I thought it was best for the girl to know who she was really with and that any sort of relationship the two of you have will no longer be possible."

Tsukasa couldn't hold himself back anymore. With all his power he punched the desk before him, leaving a decent sized hole he left in the harden wooden texture. He removed what was once his good hand but now it was just as bruised and bloody as his other. Everyone was silent, to shocked to even breath. They all knew how strong he was, but no one could even imagine he was capable of this. "You had no right to do that! I love her! I was planning on telling her everything tonight and now because of you she hates me. It's all your fault!"

Kaede locked eyes with her son, staring him down for trying to intimidate her. "Do you honestly believe I am the sole reason for that girl no longer wanting to see you?" she shook her head at him, disappointed and annoyed by the childish actions he was taking. She had hoped that once he turned eighteen she would no longer need to look after him but she was sadly mistaken. "It no longer matters. That apartment you rented has been cleared out and all the items in it are being burned as we speak." She would remove this thorn in her side. No matter what she had to do, she would get the job done.

It felt like his heart had stopped when she uttered those words. Burned? Everything at his apartment had been taken and was being burned. "You bitch!" he cried before racing out of the room and making a mad dash for the furnace. He knew his mother; she would not have something like this being taken care of some place where she couldn't control the outcome. But he would stop her. He had to or else he would lose it all. All of the pictures, memorabilia, and the presents that she had given him over the course of their year together were all at his apartment. He kept them there to be safe, the maids cleaned out every corner of his room and if they discovered any of it they would have reported it to his mother. He had thought they were safe there but now he realized just how wrong he was.

Crashing through the doors he panted from his sudden sprint but the adrenaline that was pumping through him wasn't about to let his body rest. His eyes locked onto the giant furnace and watched as the maids burned all the items from his place, even some of the clothes he had brought from home were being burned. His heart clenched when he saw the red scarf she had given him just last night had entered the fire. "No!" he pushed aside everyone, not caring who he hurt. Without giving it a second thought he reached inside the fire, the flames burning his wounded hand and making his wounds sting beyond belief but none of that mattered to him. He didn't care if his hands came out deformed or even burnt to a crisp so long as the scarf Tsukushi had knitted for him was safe.

"Tsukasa, stop it!" Soujirou, Akira, and Rui all grabbed him from behind. They were pulling him away from the furnace before he could do anymore damage to his body but he fought them off. They didn't understand, he couldn't lose these items. They were precious to him. They were what represented all the happy times he shared with Tsukushi. He would need them if he couldn't have her by his side.

"Let me go!" he screamed, kicking and punching away his best friends since childhood and once more tried to put his hands back in the fire but he was knocked down by his mother's guard. Animalistic noises were coming out of his mouth as he tried to fight his way to freedom from the men that had pinned him down. He refused to let anyone stand in his way. He would fight until either he was dead or they were lying on the floor in an unconscious state brought on by the pain he would inflict upon them.

He would have kept fighting too had he not felt a sharp prick in his neck. He cursed when he recognized the syringe one of the men had injected him with and felt all his strength start to leave his body. They had given him a tranquiller, a powerful one if it was making him lose consciousness so fast. No longer could he fight against the men that held him down, he couldn't even move his body. All he could was watch, as more of his stuff was burned right before his eyes. _"Tsukushi..." _

He blacked out.

_**~X~**_

His mind was groggy and his body felt as heavy as lead. Dark eyes fluttered open, showing him the high ceiling he had grown accustom to over the years of living in his mansion. He was lying on his bed, body on top of the covers and completely still. The tranquilizer they injected in him earlier was still in his system; he could feel it as he tried to move. "Bastards." With some effort he managed to sit up, groaning at the pain in his hands. Looking down he saw they were bandaged and on his bed side table was a glass of water and some pain medication. He scoffed, shoving the two items off the stand in disgust.

Pain shot through his hand that he just used and he scowled at how weak he was feeling. Looking over his bandaged wounds he could just make out where he had harmed himself, the burns from the fire were stinging and he was bleeding from opening a wound but he didn't care. He didn't care about anything anymore. With a glance at the clock he saw it was five in the morning and long past the time he was supposed to meet with Tsukushi. Though he doubted she would be there. He didn't even need to look around his room to know that the scarf he fought so hard to save was not there. Nothing from his apartment that represented his relationship with Tsukushi was there. It had all been burned. "Damn it." He groaned to himself, leaning up against the massive pillows with his legs popped up, his arms resting on top of his knees and his head hanging low. It was all gone. Everything he considered precious had been taken from him. Tsukushi had left him. She learned who he really was and now she hated him. She never wanted to see him again. The thought alone sent such a pain through him that his whole body shook. He loved her so much that a life without her was unimaginable but now because of his mother he would have to go through it. If she hadn't interfered none of this would have happened.

_"Do you honestly believe I am the sole reason for that girl no longer wanting to see you?"_

The harsh words of his mother echoed in his mind and hand him clenching his head in anger. As much as he would love to hold his mother responsible for everything that happened tonight he knew deep down he couldn't, some of blame fell onto him as well. He should have told her the truth a long time ago. He never should have let things get so out hand but he found himself lost in the happiness of being with her that he didn't want to do anything that could disturb it. Having her at his side was like a dream come true. She wasn't like the other girls that he knew, those who were born into the high society life. She was her own person. She had an opinion, a personality and was more than just a doll you keep on display for others to admire and envy. She had fallen in love with him for him and not because he had money. He was well aware of how she felt about the rich and famous, it was why he came up with the stupid lie to begin with but he knew without a doubt that if she had come to know him as a Domyouji instead of Daidouji she still wouldn't have been with just because he had money. She had said so herself, she would only marry for love and not for money. She wouldn't suddenly just marry him because he was worth billions, she'd probably make him wait until they both graduated from university before the thought of marriage was even brought up. But that didn't mean they didn't talk about it. They were little things but they would occasionally suggest what they would like, should they ever get married. He loved those conversations the most because it meant she was feeling the same way he was. He couldn't imagine another woman other than her being his wife.

But none of that mattered now. He had lost her. Her tearstained face and harsh words haunted him. She said she hated him. He had to cover his mouth with his hand at the memory of her saying those cruel words. He was sure he was going to be sick. Honestly he was amazed he didn't when she said those words to his face. It was sickening, having the one and only woman you'll ever love say she hates you. He wondered if this was how people dying felt like, the cold hopelessness that fills your heart.

A soft knock at the door was heard but he chose to ignore it. He didn't want to talk with anymore. He didn't want to see anymore unless they were Tsukushi and even then he was nervous. He had to fix things between them. He needed to explain things properly and get her to understand why he did what he did. But he didn't want to hear such words leave her mouth again. If she said she hated him again he was sure he would break.

Another knock sounded and he growled. "Go away!" he yelled, throwing a pillow at the door for good measure. He groaned as the sharp pain that spread through his hands, sitting on his knees he held his right hand in hopes to help ease the pain. He didn't regret what he did, he would have done anything if it meant saving what he considered precious, but he just wished the pain would leave him already. He needed to be at full strength if he was going to take on not only his mother but also going about winning back the woman he loved. Which was why he wanted the world to leave him alone. He had no desire to be around others and would much rather wallow in his misery and think of a good plan to win back Tsukushi than deal with people.

Despite his orders the large door to his room opened and in walked someone he hadn't been expecting. "You'll have to forgive my intrusion but I feel I must come in."

He glared. "What are you doing here, Tama?" he scoffed at the old woman that walked in his room, cane in her wrinkled hand, wearing an old worn out maid's uniform with her hair tied into such a tight bun he was amazed her eyes weren't popping out of her skull.

"I was merely checking on you, Young Master. I heard you caused quite a ruckus today in the furnace room." Tama shut the door behind her and walked over to the bed. She was indeed old but her steps were as calm and steady as a young woman.

He scoffed, looking away and out the window. "The old hag had no right to do what she did." He propped one leg up, resting his arm over it to get more comfortable. He wished she would leave already for he had no desire to talk about his mother and what she did. Just thinking about it made him want to hurt something, or rather someone.

Tama could only sigh and shake her head. "Honestly, throwing a temper tantrum at your age is very unbecoming," she wasn't surprised at the death glare he was giving her and merely grinned when she saw it. "Not that I don't understand your reasoning. I believe I would have behaved in the same nature if I had to gone through what you have," she too looked out at the window, up at the night sky was clear and allowed for them to easily see the glistening stars and moon. "Love is such a strange thing. It can be our greatest strength but at the same time it can be our greatest weakness. It can make us crazy in happiness or drive us mad with depression. It can also make us do very stupid things." With that being said she sent a sharp look at Tsukasa who sat on the bed and was still refusing look at her. He would only glare at her but even those were short. Clearing her throat she continued. "Young Master, forgive my words but I must say, you're an idiot."

That got his attention. With a slow turn of his head he finally faced her and his entire demeanor was angry. "Tama, you've got a lot of nerve for an old bag and I must warn you now isn't a good time to piss me off." He didn't care if he was threatened an old woman. Her words angered him and if he had to do this to get her leave then he had no problems scaring an old lady.

However she wasn't even fazed by his behavior and merely frowned, bringing her cane up to point at him. "I say you're an idiot because you are. Hiding who you really are from a girl for an entire year is utterly foolish."

He growled. "Tama...!" he was really starting to lose what little patients he had left.

"Tell me, did you two ever sleep together?" her question was blunt one but she didn't care.

He halted, and to his dismay his face turn a dark shade of red. "I don't see how that's any of your business. You're just the hired help, why should I tell you anything."

She had a blank look on her face. "So the Young Master is still a virgin at eighteen years. Such a pity," he nearly fell over at her words and picked up a pillow to throw it at her. "But perhaps that is a good thing. It means you may still have a chance," he stopped once more, his body still but even in the dark she could see the spark of hope that came with her words. "A girl's first time is special. It's something that we value most and only wish to share it with the man we love. Now because of your foolish that girl is no doubt confused and wondering if you were ever truly the man she had grown to love."

"I am!" he jumped off his bed, stalking over to stand in front of the tiny older woman. "Just because my last name is Domyouji and not Daidouji doesn't mean I'm any different. I am still the same guy that she met on the streets, the same guy who waited over four hours for her that day in the snow, the same guy who fell in love with her. Just because I have money doesn't mean my feelings for her are going to change. I will always be in love with Tsukushi!"

"But does she know that?" She asked him, looking up and was pleased that the little boy she helped raise was finally starting to become a good man. "I can assume that because you were with each other for such a long length of time that despite not sleeping together you two did still participate in some activities together?" the blush on his face answered her question without him even having to speak. "You'll need to properly explain yourself if you ever want her to trust you again. She probably feels confused and betrayed and possibly even a little violated. After all she just learned the man she spent an entire year of her life with never even existed to begin with." She sent him a sharp look, hoping he would understand what she was saying.

He did. He looked down at his bandaged hands and never in his entire life did he feel more like a fool than he did now. All this time he had only been thinking about himself and the fears he had if she ever found out. Sure he knew that she would be angry but he never imagined anything beyond that. He always figured once she let him talk she would understand they would go about their happy life together. Last night they had almost slept together and they would have had he not forgotten to bring a condom. He had cursed his stupidity all morning for forgetting such an important item but now he was starting to wonder if his stupidity just saved him. He only wanted to have sex with someone he loved and she felt the same. It was why they waited so long, they wanted to be sure that they would only be giving themselves to the person they truly loved. While he had been ready to sleep with her months ago he had been patient and waited for her to be sure of herself. He knew that girls considered their first time special and he respected her wishes to wait for the right moment and was more than content with just holding her in his arms until that time came. However in his happy fantasy he never stopped to think about his actions. Last night they weren't about to make love as Tsukushi Makino and Tsukasa Domyouji, but as someone he pretended to be. If a girl ever tried that with him he would never speak to them again and have her family's company bankrupted within an hour. He could imagine feeling used and violated because that was how many of the girl's in high society acted. They pretended to be someone they weren't so they could charm him and get his money. And he had done the same to Tsukushi.

He felt sick once more and had to sit on the end of his bed, his head was spinning. "What have I done?" He covered his face in his hands, too ashamed to even show his existence to the world. How could he ever face Tsukushi again after all he's done? He couldn't blame her for hating him because he hated himself.

A wrinkled hand smoothed out his messy hair. "All men become fools when they're in love," she patted his head, much like she had done to him as a child whenever he would ask for his parents and they weren't there. "But now that you know your mistakes I believe you have been given a second chance to make things right." she pulled something out of a pocket from her clothes and draped it over his shoulders.

He felt the soft cloth touch his body, the smell of his cologne and burnt yarn hit his nose instantly but there was another scent mixed in. A scent that he had longed for whenever he was forced to leave it. Quickly removing his hands he looked down and saw the red scarf Tsukushi had given him was wrapped around him. "But how...?" he was speechless. He was so sure after he was knocked out the scarf would have gotten burned. But here it was, still intact with only a few burn marks.

Tama smiled at him and reached into her uniform once more to pull out a large parcel she made sure to keep hidden. "Lady Kaede had asked me to dispose of everything and I was going to do so without questions but when I saw just how far you were willing to go I could no longer bring myself to do it. With the help of others I managed to save most of your stuff. However those magazines that had been brought in could not be saved. Not that I can even imagine what you were doing with such things." She had seen the massive pile of dating magazines that had been brought to her for burning and it was the one thing she didn't feel bad about seeing going up in smoke. Honestly if he was retreating to such trashy gossip columns for dating advice than she had gone wrong somewhere in raising him.

He snatched the parcel from her hands and quickly ripped it open. Inside were all the pictures they had taken together, the keychain she had given him, the bag of cookies and even the walkie-talkie he had bought for them to use when she still didn't have a cell. It was all there. He clenched the package close to his chest. "Tama," he lifted his head, a smile on his face. "Thank you." He never imagined he could smile again after all that had taken place but now he had his hope back. He would be eternally grateful to this woman.

She gasped when she saw the smile on his face. Never in all the years she's been working in this house has she ever seen him looking so happy. "You really love her." She saw the pictures of the two of them and she was amazed to see in each of them he was smiling with all his heart. She has seen his political smile, the one for the press and other companies. That smile seemed to have taken over because she has never seen the young man wear a real happy smile. That was until she saw the pictures. In every shot, even in the ones with him scowling, she could see the joy shining in his eyes at being with the girl by his side.

He nodded, pulling out the pictures with great care and grinning when he saw one of them together at the beach, she was dressed in a pink bikini but had his white hoodie covering most of her body as he had one arm wrapped around her body and was glaring at two boys that had been making eyes at her. She looked like she was trying not to laugh in the shot but was not doing a good job at hiding her humor. That had been a good day but also a tiring one. They had gone to the beach and he was happy about seeing her dressed so cute but his jealously had taken over and he was sure every male on the beach was looking at her. He argued for her to wear his hoodie and stuck to hear like glue the entire time to warn off any guy that tried hitting on her. She had been annoyed with him at first but after a while she started to laugh, saying he was making funny faces whenever a guy came within two feet of them. "I do," he touched the picture, fingers running over her smiling face. "I love her." His heart would only ever want her.

"Then I wish you luck." and with that said she took her leave. With a sigh she stood outside the door to his room, thinking back to only a few seconds ago and seeing the look of pure happiness on his face when she handed him the package. Lady Kaede had ordered all items from his relationship with the girl be destroyed in order to make him forget about her faster. But after she's seen it would break her heart to do such a thing. She was sure the Lady of the house would act once she learned the items had not been burned but she did not fear for herself but for him and the girl he loved. "You're going to need all the luck you can get, Young Master." Feeling tired she walked back to her room, hoping that things could go on without an incident happening.

Back in his room Tsukasa still sat on the end of his bed, the scarf wrapped securely around his neck, the octopus keychain safety tucked away in his pocket, and a smile on his face as he looked through all the pictures and laughed quietly when he remembered each of the events that came with the pictures. He stopped when he came to picture of them that had been taken on their first date in the photo booth. To him these four pictures defined their relationship perfectly. They would start out happy, then confusion, which would lead to an argument, but all that would be forgotten once they made up and returned to being happy. Lying flat on his back he pulled out his phone and dialed Tsukushi's number, holding the small strip in his hand for courage and good luck.

To his dismay her phone had been turned off and all he got was her voice mail. He felt his heart clench but he wasn't about to give up. Throwing his phone across the bed he reached out for the walkie-talkie and pressed the small button that would connect his device to hers. "Tsukushi?" he called out to her softly, the static that sounded was maddening but he wouldn't let that stop him. "I know what I did was stupid. I should have never lied to you like that. But you have to believe when I say I love you. My feelings for you aren't a lie." The only thing he ever lied about was his personal life but all his feelings for her were true. He just had to get her to believe that. "I know I hurt you and you probably never want to see me again but tomorrow if you want to talk I'll be waiting for you at our spot. I promise I'll explain everything to you. And if you don't show up..." he bit his lip, wondering if he even had the right to say this but one look at the picture told him that he couldn't let fear win over love. "I told you that day that I would make you love me even if I have to chase after you. And I will. I'll keep chasing after you until I make you mine again. But this time I'll be doing it as Tsukasa Domyouji. I love you, Tsukushi." He licked his lips, suddenly feeling dry and like he had cotton in his mouth. His chest felt heavy at the silence that followed and he was starting to feel that hopelessness again but he refused to let that stop him. He had said it himself; he would chase after her until he her back in his arms. He didn't care what he would have to do but he vowed that no matter the cost he wouldn't stop until he had her back with him. Sitting up he mentally starting preparing himself for all that he needed to do. "Tsukushi, I'm sorry."

_**~X~**_

Sitting on top of her bed Tsukushi sat with her legs pulled up to her chest, arms wrapped around her body as she tried to back as far away into the corner as she could. She had returned home that night exhausted and emotionally drained. Yuuki had offered to let her stay at her house but all she wanted to do at this point was be left alone. After all that had happened tonight she needed to sort out her thoughts and feelings. She had locked herself in her room the moment she walked through the door, completely ignoring her family and the dinner they left out for her.

Despite feeling utterly drained of all her energy she found she couldn't fall asleep. Her mind was racing, forcing her to remember every detail of what had gone on only a couple hours ago. It was maddening and she wished she could make it stop but it seems that her mind was enjoying making her suffer. She looked at the clock on her desk table and sighed when she saw the time. It was already two and she had school in the morning and work that afternoon. She groaned, wishing she wasn't such a responsible person and could just skip. All she wanted to do was lie in bed and pretend that nothing ever happened. She had shut off her phone, cutting off any communication with the outside world. If only all her problems could be solved as easily as shutting off a phone.

_**"Tsukushi?" **_

She let out a muffled cry, jumping in her spot and tried to back up even more into the corner. On her desk sat the yellow and black walkie-talkie he had bought for them. And now he was speaking to her through.

_**"I know what I did was stupid. I should have never lied to you like that. But you have to believe when I say I love you. My feelings for you aren't a lie." **_

Hearing his voice was making tears gather in her eyes and had her body shaking with an all new set of tremors.

_**"I know I hurt you and you probably never want to see me again but tomorrow if you want to talk I'll be waiting for you at our spot. I promise I'll explain everything to you. And if you don't show up..." **_

She heard the pause in his voice and she wished it wasn't making her heart beat in anticipation.

_**"I told you that day that I would make you love me even if I have to chase after you. And I will. I'll keep chasing after you until I make you mine again. But this time I'll be doing it as Tsukasa Domyouji. I love you, Tsukushi."**_

She shook her head, hands covering her ears to block out his words. She didn't want to hear him say he loved her. She wanted to forget about him and everything they've ever done together. She wanted to forget about how much she loved him. She hated him for what he did. He lied to her for an entire year and even if he did love her like he said he did he had no right to do what he did. She nearly slept with a guy that she knew nothing about. And what she did know she couldn't be sure what was the truth and what was a lie. She just wanted to forget about him and move on.

So why despite all he's done to her did she want to be in his arms?

_**"Tsukushi, I'm sorry." **_

And suddenly the desire to be in his arms increased. Her tears spilled freely down her face now and she had to bury her face into her pillow to muffle out the wails that were escaping her. In the entire year they were together never once has she ever heard him say he was sorry. He did stupid things when they were together but his way of apologizing was by offering to buy her stuff or making her laugh. Hearing him say those words, words she never expected to hear from his mouth had her crying. But she was still so confused. She didn't want to see him but she wanted to be held by him. She hated him but her heart ached when she thought of the cruel words she said. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do."


	7. Chapter 7

Her footsteps felt like lead as she walked along the busy streets. The people that passed by didn't even spare her a passing glance but she strangely felt exposed to the entire world. It was like everyone knew what a fool she had been and they were all laughing at her on the inside. As she looked back on that year she more than once wanted to hit herself for not noticing the signs that had suddenly become so obvious. He always wore brand name clothing and had an apartment in a nice neighborhood and would constantly hound her to eat out at some of the most expensive restaurants in the city and his hours from his so called work were scrambled about and always seemed so short that there was no way would he be able to afford his lifestyle if he really did work. But what should have been the most obvious clue was the way he carried himself. He was confident and had an air around him that made her think he was different than the rest of the world. In a way she had been right, he was different because he lived in the world of the rich and famous while she lived in poverty. She had let her feelings for him blind her of all the clues that had been there all along and now she felt so stupid for ignoring them. She thought that if maybe she had caught on sooner she could have stopped things before they got so serious. Before her heart became filled with only him.

If she had just figured things out or pushed him for more details about his life she wouldn't be feeling the way she is right now. She felt so stupid and ashamed and utterly foolish. What kind of girl goes an entire year without knowing a single important detail about the man they were involved with? She had questioned him more than once about his personal life but he always kept her in the dark. If only she pushed for more and now just let the matter slide by maybe then she wouldn't be in this kind of situation. But like a fool she had trusted him and let him string her along.

She hated him for what he did to her. How dare he pretend to be someone he's not and for such a length of time. All night she thought about his reasoning for doing such a thing but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't come up with a solid answer. Only he could give it to her but that still hadn't stopped her from trying. Was it just his way of passing the time? Did he think it was funny to pretend to be poor and date someone like her? Had he lost some kind of bet? Or had he just been doing it to just get in her pants?

That thought had her anger seething and her hands itching to smack him again. Sadly around sunrise her common sense started to kick in and she wished it would take a vacation. What kind of guy would wait an entire year to sleep with her if he was doing it because of a bet or boredom? This wasn't some cheesy TV drama, this was real life and as much as she hated to admit it Tsukasa had to have a reason for doing what he did. He said so himself last night when he contacted her using the walkie-talkie. She had the device in her purse as she continued to walk along the sidewalk, her fingers playing with the worn out straps of her used bag. Her legs may have felt like lead but that wasn't stopping her from making good time. With a quick look at her watch she saw that her first period had already started and most likely her home would be getting a phone call asking about her unexplained absent. She knew that skipping was wrong but there was no way she could go the entire day sitting in a classroom and wondering about Tsukasa. It felt like she was going to go insane when she sat in her room last night after he talked to her. Her heart was beating at his every words. He had said he loved her and that he did have a reason for lying to her and it was because of those reasons that she was cutting class.

"_**Tsukushi, I'm sorry." **_

She breathed in sharply; her heart seemed to skip a beat as she remembered those words. He never apologizes; even when he's in the wrong he never once ever uttered the words "I'm sorry" to her or to anyone else. So for him to actually forgo his pride and apology has to mean something...right? She gulped and shook her head at the hope that was starting to spread gather in her heart. She shouldn't be feeling like this right now. She was mad at him, furious because he deceived her and she was going to give him a piece of her mind once she met up with him.

_"So why is it that all I want is for him to hold me?"_ There had to be something wrong with her. How else can you explain her still wanting to be embraced by a man that lied to her for an entire year? _"Because, I love him." _she stopped in her walk at that thought. As much as she said she hated him she knew that was just her anger taking over, trying to make the pain she felt lessen. As much as she wanted to forget about him, she couldn't. All the times they spent together, the happy memories, their arguments, and every kiss they shared she knew those couldn't be lies. She may not have known who he really was but she had still fallen in love with him and he loved her. He had tried explaining himself last night but she had been too upset to listen, but now she would give him a chance. Today and only today she would let him explain and from there she would make her decision if she was going to keep seeing him. Lying to her for so long had hurt her and it made her feel so confused but at the same time she felt so lonely without him by her side. She was in love with him and she could only hope that whatever he has to tell her wouldn't break her heart all over again.

She continued on her journey again. Her thoughts were all jumbled and she felt like she was in a daze but that didn't stop her from spotting him right away. No matter where they were, even in a massive crow of people she could always easily spot him. As she said he had this air around him that made him different from the rest. She really must be a fool to not realize who he was soon.

He spotted her at the same time she saw him. He sat there, leaning on the guardrail dressed in a heavy winter coat with his hands shoved in his pockets. There was a black backpack that hung loosely losing over one shoulder. It was strange seeing it on him, in all their times together not once could she recall him carrying a bag around. He stared at her, eyes locking onto hers. She wondered what kind of face she was making? She needed to be mad at him, make him feel guilty for lying to her but she found she couldn't do anything other than stare at him. He was caught under the same spell as she was, his eyes were clouded over but she could still see the emotions that were shinning in them. How is it that someone she knew almost nothing about she could read so easily?

"I should have known," he spoke for the first time, turning his head away from her and looking at the ground. "This would be the one time you show up early."

She didn't say anything. She looked at him, his ears were red and his body shook every so often and lying on the ground next to him were scattered cups of coffee. "How long have you been out here?" her voice came out soft and uncertain.

He shrugged. "Since sun up." He pushed off the guardrail. "I had to leave early in order to escape my mother and her guards." He stood in front of her. His much larger form towering over her. The clouded look still shined in his eyes.

She frowned. "And you think getting pneumonia will help you evade them?" she shook her head and reached over to feel his skin. The back of her hand touched his cheek and she frowned at the cold sensation. "You're skin is like ice. If you keep doing this your body is going to give out on you one day. I mean seriously, what is with you and waiting outside in the middle of winter? Do you have some kind of death wish or are you just-" she had to stop when she saw the look in his eyes. No longer were his brown eyes clouded over but now were staring down at her with a look of pure delight. Her blush deepened and her heart was beating a mile a minute.

"Tsukushi…" he stepped closer to her and it made her heart jump. He was going to hug her, she could tell by the way his body was moving. And it was exactly what she wanted. Since yesterday all she wanted to do was be held in his arms, to forget about everything and have all the pain she's been feeling to disappear. She always felt safe when he held her and she wanted that feeling to continue.

"No," she stepped out of his reach, her hands balled into fists at her side. She needed to restrain herself. As much as she wanted to be held by him she couldn't let herself get swept up by her emotions. "I can't," as much as she would love to be in his arms she needed to know exactly whose arms that were holding her. "Tsukasa, we can't just act like nothing's happened. The entire time we were dating you lied to me and now you expect me to just go back to how things were?" she took in a deep breath. What she was about to say was hard but it was the decision she had come to last night. "I can't do that. I can't just act like you're my boyfriend again because I still don't know if I want to be with you or not." Her words may be hard but she needed to be up front and forward with this. He had to know how she felt about this whole situation.

Tsukasa looked at her small form. He felt his heart clench at the sight of her hands clenching at her side and the crescent fallen look that was on her face as she spoke. "I understand," he sighed, berating himself internally for letting himself get carried away like that. Of course things wouldn't be exactly the same as they were once they met up. But when he saw how concerned she was for him, acting like how she always does it made him feel so happy that he couldn't stop himself. He just had to hold her in his arms but she clearly wasn't feeling the same. Although the hint of pink in her cheeks was telling him otherwise but he wouldn't push her. "I promised you I would tell you everything and I will." He gestured with his head for her to follow and began to pull his hand out so he could reach for hers but stopped himself. "Come on." He began to walk, keeping his back to her and stayed a step ahead. As much as he wanted to hold her hand he knew it was pointless. She wouldn't touch him until he told her everything. And besides, with how his hands were he doubted she would want to once she saw the damage.

Tsukushi walked behind him, trying to calm herself down and was mentally preparing for all the insults and questions she had gathered after thinking about their situation last night. She had many questions but she also just had as many insults to go along with them. She'll teach him to try and lie to her. She just needed to remain strong and not crack under pressure. So why did she suddenly feel like a puppy that had just been shunned away by their master? Her eyes looked at where his hands were still shoved inside the pockets of his winter coat and she frowned. Sure she didn't want to hold his hand just yet but he could have at least offered. Maybe her earlier suspicions had been right and he really was only with her because of a bet. Her heart clenched at the thought and she really hoped that wasn't the case. If it was, she was sure her heart would break all over again.

They walked together in silence as he led them on. There was only one place he wanted them to go to talk that he felt was suitable and he had gone through a lot of trouble to make sure they could get there. He didn't have time to grab something to eat when he snuck out of his house and continuously dodged his mother's SPs that morning. His body felt weak and all he wanted was some food and a warm bed but that could all come later. He still had to properly explain himself to Tsukushi. Their journey brought them to the coffee shop they had both gone to that day he had waited for her in the snow and both their cheeks had turned pink at the memory. This was where his lie had started and it was where he was going to end it. They sat down at a table facing the window and just like last night they both ordered the largest drinks the place had to warm up their cold bodies.

It was awkward between them, usually the only time there was ever silence was after they had some kind argument and were trying to psyche the other out, but that silence would end fairly quickly. Both doubted the same thing would happen this time. They weren't in a normal situation. Their problem could only be solved by talking things outs. Too bad neither one of them had any idea what to say. She wanted to chew him out and he wanted to explain himself and yet they didn't know how to start.

"_How do we always end up here?" _Tsukushi couldn't help but wonder as she looked over at him. They were in the same café they were that day when everything started, when she first developed feeling for him and when he first lied to her. He had been waiting hours in the snow for her that day too. That day was when it all began and this day would either be start of something new for them or be the end of them. _"Things really have come full circle." _She sighed, trying to think of something to say to get the conversation going. He said he would explain everything to her but all he was doing was just sitting there and staring at her. She felt her cheeks heat up at his intense gaze and she had to keep looking away, choosing to focus more on his body then his face. Her brown eyes finally caught sight of the red fabric wrapped securely around his neck but she noticed that while it still showed her poor details at sewing it also had black spots and looked worn out. "What happened to the scarf I gave you?"

He stiffened up; the hands that were still shoved in his pockets she could see had been balled into fists. "Before you think of anything I swear it wasn't me. My mother ordered the servants to have everything from my apartment burned and the scarf entered the furnace but I stopped it. I swear I would never burn anything you gave me." His words were so honest that she couldn't not believe him. She nodded her head and smiled when the waitress brought them their drinks.

He looked hesitant at the cup, almost like he regretted ordering a drink in the first place. It was when he reached for his cup did she finally see his bandaged hands. "What happened to you?" she reached forward, gently taking hold of his wounded hand. Both of them were wrapped heavily in bandaged and only bits of skin were poking out here and there but even then she could see his skin was pink and raw. Was it from the cold or from whatever damage had been done to his hands? A thought hit her and she had to fight the urge to cry. "You said you're mother ordered everything to be burned but you stopped it? she looked at him and his expression was grim. "Tsukasa, don't tell me you…" she couldn't even finish. It wasn't possible that he would do such a thing. Was it?

He held back to urge to reach over the table and wrap her in his arms. The way she was looking at him, how gentle her touch was in his wounded hands, all of it was making him crazy. He wanted her so badly. All that was blocking them was a simple table that he could easily push aside to reach her. But she wouldn't let him touch her until she decided what their future was. She was so close but so far. "I did," he nodded his head at her question. "This scarf and everything else from my apartment, it's all important to me. I don't regret reaching into the fire because I would do it all over again." He would walk through hell itself if it meant he could protect their relationship. He didn't care if his hands would be disfigured or if his entire body was covered in scars, all of it would be worth it if it meant having her by his side.

Tears gathered in the corner of her eyes. He had hurt himself to rescue some cheap homemade gift she had given him. But why? Why was he willing to go so far for her? "Tsukasa, I'm so confused," she wiped away the tears. She was so lost and baffled and it felt like she was feeling every emotion at once but she couldn't let herself be held back just because of what she was feeling. She needed to know the truth. "For a whole year I thought you were someone else and last night I learned that it was all a lie, but I need to know just how much of it was fake. I need to know everything. About who you are and why you lied," she gulped, biting her lower lip as her fear settled into her heart once more. "I need to know if you ever really love me?"

He slammed his hand on the table, shocking her and everyone in the café. Her eyes grew wide when she saw the enraged look in his dark brown eyes. She's seen him give that look to others who were stupid enough to mess with him but this was the first time he set his deadly gaze at her. "How many times do I need to say it before it gets through that thick skull of yours?" he all but growled as he leaned in closer to her. "I love you. My feelings for you are and never have been a lie. The only thing I lied to you about was who I really was. My name isn't pretended to be someone else, but that's all. My feelings, ever moment we spent together, all of that was real. I love you Tsukushi. I don't want another woman by my side," he paused thinking over his next words carefully. He only had this moment to prove himself to her. That he was still the same man she fell in love with. "I meant it when I said I would chase after you until I make you mine."

It felt like her heart was going to pop out of her chest. His words, his eyes, even his entire demeanor, all of it was so intense that it had her frozen stiff. She's seen him get angry, jealous, and upset but never has he ever been like this. Her mind flashed her an imagine of him sitting in a giant office, planning a hostile takeover of some company and without a doubt she knew that company was her. There was truth in his words, if she did indeed reject him here and now that wouldn't stop him from pursuing her in the future. He would keep chasing after her until they were together again. She felt a little fear at hearing such a thing but at the same time she felt loved. It was strange, having someone say they wouldn't stop until they made you theirs. It was like something out of a movie that you'd hear from a crazy stalker and while she wanted to smack him for acting in such a manner she also wanted to kiss him and not stop. "T-That still doesn't explain why you lied to me?" her voice held a slight tremble to it, her emotion were like a roller coaster and she was gripping at her skirt to try and regain some composure. Anything to get her brain working normal again.

His manner was still serious but it was no longer so intense that she felt she was frozen. When he finally relaxed so did see. "Why the hell do you think?"

She could only shrug her shoulders. "I don't know. That's why I asked." She said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

His eye twitched and he looked ready to punch something. Had it not been for his already injured hands he would have too. "You really piss me off sometimes."

"Same to you, buddy." She leaned forward this time, annoyed that he was dodging the question. "Are you going to tell me or not?"

He growled, his eyes twitching even more now. "You're so stupid. I lied about who I was because you said you hated rich people."

She opened her mouth to speak but quickly closed it. Her mind suddenly flashed her back to that day, the two of them sitting together at this café, two people making fun of them for their appearance, and she went off on a rant about why she couldn't stand rich people. She felt like all the color had drained from her body and her entire face heat up at the same time. "Oh…right…"

He scoffed. At least she finally remembered. "How could I tell the girl I liked who I really was when she just told me how much she despised people with money?" he leaned back in his chair, leaving his hands to rest on the countertop as he stared at her.

She nodded her head in understanding, her face flushed. "Yeah, I guess I can understand why you would lie." She felt so embarrassed. She spent the entire night wondering why he would make up such a thing when the answer had been as obvious as all the signs she had missed about him being rich. She remembered that day clearly. She still had the jacket he had given her tucked away in her closet that she wore on really cold nights. That day he had waited over four hours in the snow and she had gone out in her pajamas to check on him. They were a mess and she didn't blame the people that made fun of them, they just didn't need to go as far as they did. It had been why she started ranting about her hatred for the rich and famous. Some of that rant had been fueled because of her family and how they kept pushing her to take the Eitoku entrance exam so she could marry a rich husband. _"Well that explains why he looked so strange after my little rant." _She remembered how badly he had looked after she went off, the lost look in his eyes and the utter defeat that seemed to flow off his body. Although she still didn't like that he had lied to her for so long she understood why he would do it. She'd probably do the same if it was for someone she liked. "Wait a minute," she pointed at him, looking shocked. "You liked me even back then?"

He blushed. "Of course I did. Why else do you think I waited every day for you for over a month?" he frowned, embarrassed that she was making him say such things.

A nervous chuckle escaped her and she had to look away. No way could she admit what she really thought of their month long meetings.

Unfortunately for her she didn't need to because he had her all figured out. The angry look returning to his face. "Don't tell me…" he almost didn't want to go on but he felt his annoyance building and if he didn't get it out now he was going to explode. "Did you honestly think I was only waiting around because I wanted an apology?!"

Once more she didn't have it in her to look at him. She was much too embarrassed. She knew that it was strange for some guy she had bumped into on the street to keep coming around but she hadn't thought much of it because she thought he was just some weirdo. And then over time she began to look forward to their daily meetings so she stopped thinking about it altogether. "Well…"

He couldn't believe it. All this time he thought those daily meetings during that month they met up was their way of flirting but he just learned she hadn't thought of it as anything more than him acting like some spoiled brat. "What the hell goes on in the brain of yours?!" he wanted to shake some common sense into her. How could she not realize he had been flirting with her? "I'll admit the first day I did want an apology but after that I waited every day because I wanted to see you," he was grinding his teeth, trying to keep his temper in check. This was not what they needed right now. He had promised himself he would tell her everything so he might as well tell her all of it. Even the very start of his feelings for her. "You were the only person to ever stand up against me. Most people wouldn't even dare think of opposing me but you did. After that first day I couldn't get you out of my head and I waited for you not because I wanted an apology but because I was interested in you. I didn't realize it myself at first but then one day it just hit me, I liked you and I wanted to keep seeing you," he sighed. This was it. This was his last chance to get it all out there and completely explain himself. He just hoped she would understand. "I swear, I wanted to tell you the truth but I didn't want the fact that I was a Domyouji to be the reason why we couldn't be together. I was happy with you and I didn't want to go on in life without you so that's why I lied. I love you so much that a life without you by my side isn't one I want to live." There it was. All his feelings, his thoughts, and his fears were out in the open. Now what happened next was up to her.

Tsukushi wasn't sure what to say. She was amazed by what he told her and somewhat envious that he was able to clearly express how he felt. Even after a year of dating she was still awkward and shy with her feelings. But there he was, putting his heart on his sleeve for her to decide its fate. He really did it, he told her everything and while she understood his reasoning she was still mad. He was so in love with her that he was to scared of losing her to tell her the truth. "Tsukasa, you have to be the biggest idiot on the planet." She could only sigh and shake her head.

"What!?" he bellowed, jumping to his feet and knocking into the table. Their drinks fell, spilling out the warm liquids that had remained untouched since they arrived at the table. Everyone in the café had turned their attention onto them; the silence was thick and the tension even thicker. But a quick glare from him had them all scrambling to look away. "How dare you say such a thing to me. Here I am being honest about how I really feel and you have the nerve to call me an idiot." What gave her the right to say such a thing after everything he just told her? Didn't she understand how hard it was for someone like him to be so open about his fears? He was Tsukasa Domyouji; he wasn't supposed to be scared of anything. And yet he had just admitted to not being able to go on in life without and she returns his heartfelt confession by insulting him.

"I'm calling you an idiot because you are," she got up from her seat to stand in front of him. Her eyes burned with determination and she had a slight blush on her cheeks. "You're right, I don't like rich people but if you believe I would have left you because of that then you have to be the biggest idiot on this planet. I love you because you're you and it has nothing to do with how rich or how poor you are." If he was being honest with his feelings than so could she.

"R-Really?" he felt himself instantly calm down at her words. His heart was skipping with hope and he gulped, trying to keep himself from jumping to conclusion but it was hard not too with the way she was looking at him. "Just what are you saying?" he needed to hear the words clear from her mouth. He had to be sure that he wasn't just dreaming.

She smiled. "Stupid, didn't I just say I loved you." He instantly pulled her into his embrace, his face burying itself into the crock of her neck and she could feel the smile on his face touching her skin. Her own smile increased in size as she returned the hug, the feeling of love and warmth rushed throughout her body had her nestle her head closer into his chest. This was where she belonged. In the arms of the man she loved and she didn't want to be anywhere else.

His embrace was tight but he couldn't even consider thinking about holding back. The woman he loved had forgiven him and despite his mother's attempt to drive them apart she still wanted to be with him. "I love you." This was what he wanted. To hold the woman he loves in his arms forever.

Her heart soared, any traces of pain she felt from last night shocking discovery had disappeared. She was still upset over him lying to her and it would take a while to fully trust him again but as long as she can be in his arms she knew she could get over it. "I love you too," she pushed back slightly to look at his face. She giggled softly at the look of utter joy in his eyes. He was acting like a kid on Christmas. "But I'm still mad at you. You do realize that, right? And things aren't going to be exactly to how they were before."

He nodded, cupping her cheek with a bandaged hand and kissed the side of her face. "I know that but I don't care." So long as she was with him he didn't care what happened.

All she could do was smile and shake her head. How could she stay mad at a guy when he was acting so giddy? It was like being mad at a child who was so proud of their accomplishment and they didn't even realize they had done something wrong. She opened her mouth to suggest they leave, she wanted him to get his hands checked out, when she caught sight of something. Sitting in a booth in the corner of the café sat four people; three of them had menus pulled up all the way so you couldn't see their faces. By their body types she could tell two of them were men and one was a woman. The woman had a purse sitting next to her and sticking out was a camera that was pointed in their direction. The fourth member of their group was talking to the waitress, pointing to the menu and not caring that he was showing his face. He looked in her direction and waved when he caught sight of her looking. The one sitting next to him punched his arm and made him bring the menu back up to hide his face. Although it was pointless now, she had seen his face and she knew exactly who he was and she had a good idea who the others were.

"Tsukasa," she felt a little bad for bringing him out of whatever happy dreamland he went off too but they had one more issue to address. "I think you're friends are stalking us." She pointed over to the table of four. She recognized them from the party last night. The one who had waved at her was Rui Hanazawa and she had a feeling the other two were Soujirou Nishikado and Akira Mimasaka. However she didn't know who the woman was.

At her words he turned around to where she was point and scowled when he saw the group of four sitting in the corner and watching them. With a huff and a march he stomped his way over to the table and glared. "Just what the hell do you guys think you're doing?" he all but growled out. Tsukushi had come to join him by his side and he felt his anger grow when the four had still yet to put down their menus. "Hey, don't ignore me!" he ripped the menus away from them all with a sharp yank.

"Oops, looks like we got found out," Akira was the first to talk, a light chuckle escaping him.

"Yeah, no thanks to Rui." Soujirou said next, gesturing to their friend who was yawning.

Rui merely shrugged his shoulders. "I was hungry." He said as it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Tsukasa could only sigh and roll his eyes at his friends. "Ok, I get why you three are here but I wasn't expecting you to spy on me as well, Nee-Chan."

The older woman merely smiled. "You didn't think I'd miss out on a chance to see my little brother romance his first ever girlfriend." She said, winking at her blushing brother who was none too fond of how she worded that sentence.

Tsukushi felt her interest peek when he mentioned his sister and looked at the older woman who was sitting on the end. She was truly a beauty and had the same hair and eyes as Tsukasa but she seemed for much more refined. "I'm Tsukushi Makino, it's very nice to meet you." She bowed, excitement filling her heart as she was finally meeting someone from his family. After a year of waiting she was finally meeting the older sister he would every so often tell her about. She straightened herself out when his sister stood up and gulped when she leaned in close to her face. "Um...is there something wrong?"

Without saying a single word Tsubaki wrapped her two arms around Tsukushi and all but squealed out, "She's so cute!"

Tsukushi felt all the air leave her lungs in an instant.

"Nee-Chan! Stop it. You're killing her!" Tsukasa jumped into action, trying to free his girlfriend from his sister's clutches. He finally just got her back, no way did he want to lose her because his older sister suffocated her.

Tsubaki scoffed but reluctantly let go of the young girl. "Don't be so dramatic, Tsukasa." She shook her head at her brother, finding his behavior rather foolish before bringing her attention back to Tsukushi. "I'm Tsubaki Domyouji, Tsukasa's older sister. Thank you for taking such good care of him. I know how much of a hassle he can be."

Tsukushi shook her head. "It's no trouble at all. I'm just glad to finally meet you." After over a year of waiting and asking and only getting vague responses she was finally meeting someone from his family and she was so excited. She hadn't even considered until now that with the secret finally out she could finally meet his family members. _"My mother ordered the servants to have everything from my apartment burned." _The words Tsukasa had told her before suddenly popped in her mind. Yes, it's true that she can now finally meet his family but what she once had been hoping for not seemed troublesome. His sister seemed more than happy to meet her, but what about his mother? If she ordered all his things to be burned than doesn't that already mean she doesn't approve of her son dating her? Was she the one who had their shop at the party last night? Did she plan that to get her out of Tsukasa's life?

"Oh, my dear you're so skinny. Tsukasa, what is the matter with you? How can you call yourself a man when you can't even take care of your girlfriend?" she scolded her brother before taking hold of Tsukushi's hand. "Don't worry, there's this great place not too far from here. And of course it'll be my treat. Tsukasa may not know how to properly care for you but I won't let me new cute little sister starve! Come on, this'll be a good bonding experience for us and I can tell you all about Tsukasa's embarrassing experiences growing up." she didn't give anyone time to react before dragging Tsukushi out of the cafe with her, chatting happily the whole time as she described the restaurant she was taking her too.

"What the...?" Tsukasa stood there dumbfounded. Everything that just happened seemed to be a blur to him. The words his sister said had frozen him. She had called Tsukushi little sister. He blushed, happy that his sister had accepted the woman he loves into her life and was already considering her part of the family. That was exactly what he wanted. But then the rest of what she said registered in his mind. "Tsubaki, don't you dare!" he chased after them. There was no way in hell he was going to leave his sister alone with Tsukushi and tell her every embarrassing detail about his life. He had an image to uphold after all.

"This just keeps getting more and more interesting by the minute." Akira said with a grin as he and his friend followed after the group.

"Oh yeah. I can't wait to see what happens next." Soujirou said with a laugh.

Rui didn't say anything. He chuckled at the sight of Tsukasa trying to pry Tsukushi away from his old sister who was ignoring his every attempts.

Tsukushi wasn't too sure how she felt about what was going on in her life right now. She had just learned the truth about her boyfriend's secret double life, he told her his reasoning for lying, she had just met his friends and sister, and now she was being dragged along to some restaurant that she was sure there was no way she could afford. _"What's happening to my life?!" _suddenly her once peaceful and simple life seemed like it was slowly slipping away from her. She was glad that Tsubaki seemed to happy to meet her but at the same time she found she couldn't fully enjoy it. Her mind kept bringing up Tsukasa's mother. She wanted everything that he had in his apartment burned. The things there represented her existence in her son's life and it seemed like his mother did not approve of her. So what happens now? Can she really keep dating Tsukasa knowing his mother hated her? She was sure she could, there were a lot of people whose parents didn't like their child's significant other. But this wasn't a regular situation where all she had to sit through was awkward family dinners. The Domyouji family was one of the richest in all of Japan and she doubted Tsukasa's mother is just suddenly going to accept her. It was strange, she wanted answers about Tsukasa's life and now that she finally has them she had even more questions than before. _"I wonder what's going to happen next?" _


	8. Chapter 8

Tsukushi felt like her eyes were going to pop out of her head. The restaurant that Tsubaki had taken them to was one of the most expensive in town. It was known for rare dishes that are usually only available overseas. The entire interior screamed high class. She shifted uncomfortable in her seat; she could feel the stares of all the people in the restaurant were giving her. No doubt wondering what someone like her was doing with a group of rich people. They were all dressed in name brand clothing while her clothes had been purchased from a flea market. She wanted to groan when she saw part of the menu was in English and nearly fell out of her chair at the prices. She could buy six month worth of clothes with how much they were charging. Thankfully Tsubaki had taken the liberty of ordering for them all, at least she didn't have to worry about making a complete fool of herself. Yet.

Suddenly all the dates she went on with Tsukasa to the regular burger and ramen places made her feel embarrassed. There she was enjoying every bite while he was probably trying not to choke at the strange taste. It was clear as day from how this place was that he was used to the finer things in life. She looked at him from the corner of her eye, wondering how much he had to endure for her whenever she suggested a fast food joint. No doubt he probably rinsed his mouth out with a whole bottle of mouthwash after every meal. But he seemed to enjoy it whenever she cooked for him so maybe he didn't mind commoner food too much. He had gone through a whole year of putting up with her food style, the least she could do was try and adjust to his lifestyle. Besides she has a strong feeling now that things were all out in the open she would be coming to these types of places more often. So she might as well get used to things now and do her best to adjust to his world like he had done for her.

When the waiter had come with their food she gasped with delight at the spread and her mouth began to water at the wonderful aroma. "Wow, it all looks so good." Maybe it wouldn't be so bad coming these types of restaurants if it meant she could eat delicious food like. Sure she hated just how much it was so out of her price range but she was sure she could find some way to pay him back.

Tsukasa smiled softly when he saw how happy she looked as she took a bite of the food. This was exactly what he had wanted to do for so long. He always wanted to take her to this kind of place and spoil her with the luxuries of his world. He knew that she would enjoy herself; after all she always seemed to be happy whenever she was eating. He could tell that she was feeling awkward in being such a place but she was trying for his sake and it warmed his heart. However some of his enjoyment was being taken away when he saw the looks the staff was giving her. A quick glare from him shut them up and with one look around the place had everyone else who was giving her looks turning away in fear. He huffed softly, placing his arm around her chair for good measure. She was his girlfriend; they should be treating her like royalty and not some damn servant girl. He would see to it personally that she would be treated with the utmost respect whenever they went out.

"So, the mighty Tsukasa Domyouji's glare of death still works." Akira joked, a wide grin on his face as he gestured to their surroundings with his fork.

"And here we were thinking you were going soft on us."Soujirou added in, amusement shining in his eyes. The two of them had seen the little display he did and both found the show they were witnessing very enjoyable.

Tsukasa scoffed at his friends. "Shut up." he didn't bother focusing on the two of them. He would much rather pay attention to Tsukushi and watching her eat. The happy smile that came onto her face with every bite she took made him glad his secret was finally out. Now he could do everything he's wanted to do and no longer had to hold himself back.

Tsukushi finally took notice of him watching her and gave him a confused look in return. "Do you want some?" she asked, gesturing to the food that was on her plate.

His cheeks turned a soft shade of pink at her suggestion but he smiled broadly. "Sure, I mean if you really want to." He was eyeing her fork eagerly as she picked up a piece of her food from her plate and was bringing it over to his side. He gulped, as it was getting closer, his heart rate accelerating as it neared him. He shut his eyes and happily opened his mouth for her to feed him.

Too bad for him Tsukushi didn't even notice. "Here you go." She placed some of her food on his plate and noticed that he was leaning towards her, with his mouth wide open. "Are you ok?" was he trying to kiss her or something? If so that was a weird way to start a kiss.

The others at the table couldn't help but laugh at the sight. The three boys were all but banging their hands on the table in laughter and Tsubaki was very glad the camera she brought with her was still recording.

Tsukasa felt his rage growing with each passing second. "Shut up!" he growled, throwing pieces of sushi at his friends. He knew better than to throw things at his sister. Rui easily dodged them while Soujirou and Akira weren't that lucky. He then set his gaze onto Tsukushi who looked even more confused. "And you, what's the big idea getting my hopes up like that? I'm injured so shouldn't you be feeding me?"

She raised one eyebrow slightly at him. "Why would I do that? Your hands seem just fine to me, if you're able to throw things so easily." She gestured to his friends that didn't look so happy to have fish thrown in their faces.

Sometimes he swore it felt like he was talking to a brick wall. Didn't she understand what it meant to be romantic with one another? "That doesn't matter. You're my girlfriend and I'm your boyfriend so that means when I'm sick or injured you should attend to my needs and feed me."

"Says who?" She asked, looking sharply in the direction of Soujirou and Akira. If anyone would put stupid ideas in his head it was most likely those two. They shook their heads, telling her silently that it wasn't them.

His cheeks turned pink once more. "Uh...you know, it's just one of those things you hear." He cleared his throat, hoping she would drop the subject. No way was he telling her the truth.

"He read it in a magazine." Rui said, speaking for the first time since they arrived. He calmly spitted his cup of tea as if he didn't just reveal an embarrassing secret about his best friend.

"Rui!" Tsukasa cried, pointing an accusing finger at the boy. He couldn't believe he just did that. "How did you even know that?" the others were a little surprised that he wasn't denying it. Usually when it came to embarrassing stuff he would deny every aspect until either people would leave it alone or until he got so fed up with everything and stormed out.

"I found one of the magazines from your apartment and read it." Rui said with an amused smile on his face.

"You mean those dating magazines that were holding for your "friend"?" Tsukushi asked, making quotation marks at the use of the word friend and grinned when she saw the annoyed and embarrassed glare he was giving her. It was her own little form of payback for lying to her for so long and she was planning on doing more.

Rui snorted, chuckling softly. "You really are interesting." He patted her head softly, almost like he was petting an old pet.

Tsukushi felt her cheeks heat up at the affection he was showing her. Once more she was sure if she hadn't met Tsukasa first and was already in love with him she could easily see herself falling in love with a man like Rui Hanazawa.

A bandage hand removed Rui's hand from her head and pulled her chair away from the red-haired boy. Tsukasa wrapped his arm securely around her small frame and glared at his best friend. His jealously was showing but he didn't care. He was not amused at the little display of affection he was seeing his best friend give his girlfriend. Only he was allowed to rub her head so gently.

The others would have found this amusing, and they did, but there was something that was bothering them. "You know, now that I think about it Rui you didn't seem to surprised to see Makino at the party last night." Soujirou said, thinking back to when they first met the girl and how the red-haired boy acted as if he had already known her.

"Yeah, and he didn't seem as shocked as the rest of us when Tsukasa flipped out over losing her." Akira added in, looking straight ahead at his older friend. "So, what's up? Did you know Makino from before or did you somehow find out about what Tsukasa's mother was planning?" he asked, hoping it wasn't the latter. He wasn't sure they'd be able to stop Tsukasa if he went on another rampage, and learning that his best friend had prior knowledge of what his mother was doing would definitely set him off.

Rui set his cup down calmly, either not caring or not realizing his friends were all but interrogating him. "Neither," he spoke softly but his voice was even and his gaze was steady. "I found a picture of her in Tsukasa's wallet," he said, pointing at his best friend that was now blushing. "But I knew about her long before she started dating Tsukasa." He added in softly.

"You did?" Akira asked. "Did her family use to clean for you or something?" he asked, looking about both of them but Tsukushi shook her head. As far as she knew her family had never been in the cleaning service for Hanazawa family. Although now that she thought about being a maid for such a rich family probably wouldn't be so bad, the pay was probably pretty good. Maybe she should bring this up with her parents the next time their rent is due.

"Actually I saw her at Eitoku." Rui told them and it surprised them all. None more so than Tsukasa.

"Tsukushi, I didn't know you went to Eitoku too." Tsubaki said with joy. If the girl went to such an elite school it may help, if only a little, in getting their mother's approval of her. After everything that went on last night it was obvious to anyone with eyes that their mother did not like that her son was dating someone from a lower class but she was sure after getting a proper education and helping her fit in more with their world of the high class society their mother would just have to accept her.

Tsukushi shook her head. "I don't. I go to a public high school but I did take the entrance exams for Eitoku and I know that I took a tour of the campus but I didn't get in." she was going to leave out the part where she purposely failed the entrance exam because she didn't want to go to a school full of rich snobs. And she was definitely also going to leave out the fact that the only reason she took the exam was because her family wanted her to find a rich husband. Speaking of, she would have to remember to tell Tsukasa that they can't let her family know about him being rich. If they did they'd stop looking for a job all together and have her married off to him in a matter of minutes.

"It was on the tour," Rui confirmed, taking another sip of his tea. "I was sleeping on the emergency stairwell when a girl wearing commoner clothing suddenly appeared and said something very interesting that woke me up." His eyes twinkled with amusement as Tsukushi's entire face turned beat red.

She remembers that day very clearly. Everyone in her tour group was practically star struck as they walked around the school and saw all the rich students showing off their Prada bags, Rolexes, and other expensive merchandise. She had finally gotten fed up and left her group to find a nice quiet spot to release all her frustrations. She shouted about all the rich annoying snobs who acted like they were better than everyone else and how they can go straight to hell. A nervous chuckle escaped her and she quickly started shaking her hands all over the place. "That was such a long time ago. How about we put the past behind us and have a fresh start. After all, what's the point in remember such silly things." If Tsukasa ever found out what she said he wouldn't ever let her live it down. For whatever reason he loved to tease her relentlessly whenever she did something embarrassing.

"Uh-oh looks like Tsukasa might have some competition for Tsukushi's affection." Soujirou was grinning like a hyena, this who day was just amusing him nonstop.

"Careful, or else Rui mind end up stealing your girlfriend away from you." Akira added in with a chuckle.

But Tsukasa wasn't listening. He had gone into his own world, his eyes glazed over as he had a stupefied expression on his face. His entire body had grown stiff but only Tsukushi noticed just how bad he really was. The grip he had on her tightened to the point that the hand that was holding onto her arm was gripping her so bad it was starting to rip into the old stitches of her sweater. He was nervous and anxious over something, but what it was she didn't have a clue. Was it because she was acting overly friendly with Rui Hanazawa? She was well aware of his jealously but he's never acted like this before. Usually his jealously consisted of him screaming and threatening anyone who was stupid enough to upset him. Whatever this was, it wasn't jealously. It was something else entirely. But what it was she didn't know and that bothered her. It meant there was more going on that she still didn't know about.

"He's probably just shocked that she almost went to the same school as us." Rui spoke up, looking at his two friends in the eye, silently trying to relay a message to them.

They received it.

Soujirou leaned back in his chair, a low chuckle coming from him. "No doubt he's imagining Makino falling for Rui first and being all over him."

Akira nodded in agreement, resting his chin in the palm of his hand. "And just how badly he would have to go to get her to fall for him instead of how easy it was since she met him first."

Their behavior was cool, calm, and collected and everything they were saying made sense. Too much sense. It was almost like they were telling her some story out a manga. And despite the interesting tale they were telling something inside her told her there was a part they were leaving out. A very important piece of the story. But what that was she couldn't even begin to figure out. Looking up at Tsukasa she saw that he was still in his daze and it didn't look like he would be leaving it anytime soon. "Hey, anybody home in that empty octopus head of yours?" she softly hit his cheek with the back of her hand, trying to get his attention. She hoped by insulting him in the two areas he hated to be insulted about the most, his intelligence and hairstyle, he would snap out of it but he didn't even blink. It would take something big to get his attention away from whatever he was thinking about. Looking across the table her eyes settled on Soujirou and Akira who were each enjoying their cups of tea, minding their own business for once. With her mind made up she decided on the perfect way to snap Tsukasa out of it. "You're two friends were the two perverts who picked out the underwear for me."

Soujirou and Akira both spit out their tea.

"Makino, what the hell?!" Soujirou cried out.

"Are you trying to have us killed?" Akira accused.

Tsukushi scoffed, claiming they were being over dramatic but when she felt the stiff body next to her suddenly start to shake with life and she realized that maybe she had gone a bit too far. Looking up she saw the once stupefied look had been replaced with one of anger and jealously. The arm that was wrapped around her pulled her so close she was all but sitting in his lap at this point. A low growl gathered in his throat as he glared at this two friends, making them quivering in their seats.

"Now, Tsukasa you know we would never try anything with Makino."

"Yeah, we didn't even know she was your girlfriend at the time."

"We just thought we were helping a hopeless girl sleep with her boyfriend."

"It's not like we had her try it on for us."

"Besides you should be thanking us. We bet you enjoyed the view."

"Not that it matters. All out hard work was wasted because you forgot to bring a condom."

"Soujirou, shut up!"

"What? It's the truth. Besides he has no reason to be jealous in the first place. No offense Makino, but you're not exactly our type."

"That's true. We happen to go for the more mature type."

Tsukushi felt her eye twitch. "Some offense taken."

During their little chat they somehow forgotten about Tsukasa and his jealously that still had yet to disappear. "You two..." he growled under his breath, his bandaged hand curled up into a fist. His hands may be injured but that didn't mean he wasn't capable of bringing harm onto others. "I'll kill you!" he cried only to have a shoe thrown at his face, stopping him from going on in his rampage.

"Calm down, you jealous moron!" Tsubaki cried, coming around the table to retrieve the shoe she had thrown.

"Nee-Chan, you saved us!" Soujirou and Akira cried in joy towards their savior.

Tsubaki scoffed at her brother, disbelief shining in her eyes at how badly he was acting. And in front of his girlfriend no less. "Honestly, Tsukasa how are you ever going to convince mother to let you marry Tsukushi if you keep acting so childish."

"M-Marry!?" Tsukushi was sure if she wasn't still being held in a grip lock she would have fallen over. Her entire face had turned a bright red and it felt like steam was about to come out of her ears any moment. With a quick glance she saw Tsukasa was no better than she was. Their eyes met briefly and somehow their blushes deepen and they had to look away from each other. He finally let her go and she was grateful for it. The whole situation was so embarrassing.

Akira and Soujirou saw this as an opportunity for revenge.

"That's right, Makino you need to prove that you're worthy of being Tsukasa's wife." Soujirou smirked.

"After all, you captured the almighty Tsukasa Domyouji's heart. Something no girl has ever been able to do." Akira said, wagging a finger at her.

"Of course being a commoner means that his mother probably won't accept you easily." Soujirou said.

"She'll probably do everything possible to separate you two." Akira added in.

"Which means..."

"If you two want to be together..."

"There's only one thing for you to do..."

Tsukushi gulped, not liking where this was going or how they kept finishing the other's sentence. It was too creepy! But it seems her nervousness was exactly what they wanted because they were grinning like foxes.

"If you want to be with Tsukasa..." They both said at the same time, leaning in closer for dramatic effect. "You should have his baby!" they cheered.

This time Tsukushi did fall over and she had to grip onto the edge of the table to keep from hitting the floor. "What!?" she cried, looking at the two like they had lost their minds. "Just what kind of nonsense are you two perverts talking about now?" why was it whenever she talked with them all they ever talked about was sex? Was that really all that they had on their minds or was it that they were just strangely overly interested in her sex life? If that was the case than she would have no problems letting Tsukasa beat them up.

"Unfortunately, what they're saying is true." Tsubaki spoke up, her hands folded on the table in a ladylike manner and her eyes looked at her brother and Tsukushi with sympathy. "Not about the baby matter, although that is an idea you might want to keep in mind for the future. But about my mother. She is very hard to pleased, especially if you're a woman and she believes that only the best of the best is worthy of the Domyouji name. Anyone who enters our lives, romantically or platonically she'll look at them as a possible marriage partner and if she doesn't like you then she'll have no problems letting you know it. She's willing to do anything possible if it means getting things done the way she wants them to be done."

It felt like she had just been slapped in the face. Tsukushi gulped, her heart felt heavy after hearing that. His mother was going to look at her as a possible marriage partner, but she was only in high school. She was too young to get married. Besides she was still coming to terms with everything that happened. While she accepted his reasoning for lying to her that didn't mean she entirely forgave him and it would be a while before she completely trusted him again. As much as she loved him and wanted to be with him she still wasn't sure if she was ready for marriage to come into the picture. She was only seventeen, she wanted to go to college and have a career before she became pregnant and stayed home to take care of the kids. _"But doesn't his mother already disapprove of me dating Tsukasa?" _From what she gathered it was his mother who had planned for her to be at the party last night, probably hoping once she found out his secret she would break up with him for lying to her. She felt bitter towards the woman for pulling such a scheme and she felt bitter at herself for nearly going along with that woman's plan without even realizing it. She didn't have a clue what was going on behind the scenes but she was not a fan of someone trying to control her life. With a quick turn of her head she looked at the scarf she had given him that was resting on the coat rack by the door, even from here she could make out the burn marks. If the party wasn't enough to convince her that his mother didn't like her, the damage done to the scarf was all the proof she needed. She actually ordered everything that represented her and her relationship with Tsukasa to be burned. It left a bad taste in her mouth at the thought.

She was pulled from her thoughts when she felt a bandaged hand was placed on top of her own hands that were resting on her lap. She looked at him but he was avoiding her gaze, his cheeks still flushed from the earlier topic of marriage and pregnancy but despite the embarrassment he was trying his best to cheer her up. No doubt the subject of his mother was not a topic he enjoyed but he was silently trying to show her that he was by her side and would support her. She could feel it in the way he held her hand. Despite the bandages and the wounds his hold was firm, telling her he wouldn't be letting go of her hand anytime soon.

The message reached her and with great care intertwined their fingers. She didn't say anything because she didn't need to. Her accepting his hand was all that was needed. She was still nervous but so long as she loved this man she would do her best to prove to his mother that she was the right person to stand by his side.

A soft tap on her shoulder brought her attention away from Tsukasa to Rui Hanazawa who was gesturing her to lean in closer. His hand covered his mouth as he whispered to her, "Mrs. Domyouji can be really scary and even though he might complain about it Tsukasa will always go out of his way to help you. He's actually happy for once in his life and it's because of you. So promise me that no matter what happen, no matter what you see or hear, don't forget that Tsukasa loves you." His face was serious, eyes staring straight at her and it was making her heart pound. Not in a romantic sense but more in an ominous feel. It was almost like he was trying to warn her about something.

She wasn't given a chance to answer him as two arms were wrapped around her body and pushed her up against a hard chest. "Rui, stop flirting with Tsukushi!" Tsukasa's jealous cries once more filled up the restaurant as he berated his friend for trying to steal away his girlfriend.

Things seemed to have gone back to normal after that. Everyone returned to eating and talking about one and one thing only, her relationship with Tsukasa and they seemed to enjoy asking the most embarrassing question possible. It was all in good fun and they did ask some regular questions like how did they meet, what their dates were like, was it really possible to act like a commoner and for her to have not picked up on any of the obvious signs. Before Tsukushi knew it time for her to go to work. They left the restaurant; the others leading the way while Tsukushi hung in the back with Tsukasa by her side. Everyone was in their own conversation at this point but with a quick look ahead she locked eyes with Rui Hanazawa. His demeanor was calm but his eyes betrayed that cool and collected image he was trying for. She thought back to what he told her in the restaurant and once more she couldn't help the feeling that something else was being kept from her, but despite the brooding feeling she had in the pit of her stomach she nodded her head. Silently agreeing with the promise he had her make. He nodded his own head and turn away, making a comment at something his friends said. She smiled at the three boys and Tsubaki, all of who fit the image of rich people perfectly but are different than she imagined.

"You know, this was actually kind of fun." As much as she hated to admit it out loud she did enjoy herself. She's never eaten such amazing food before in her life. And it was nice to finally meet someone from Tsukasa's family. His sister really seemed to like her and she was promised some embarrassing stories about him for the next time they meet up.

He grinned. "Good to know. At least now I don't have to worry about eating only your commoner food from now on."

She felt her eye twitch at his words. Just because his secret was out about him being rich does not give him the right to call her a commoner. "Gee, I'm so sorry his majesty had to suffer on my account. If it makes you feel better I won't take you to anymore places us poor people eat at."

His grin only continued to grow in size. "Glad to hear it."

She could tell by the look on his face he was thinking he had won. Well she was about to show him how wrong he was. "That means no more burger joints, ramen stands, or any other fast food places," he was nodding in agreement with everything she said. "And no more home cooked meals." He stopped in his tracks, realization coming onto his face like he had just been smacked. "After all, I wouldn't want to feed the king any disgusting commoner food. Nope, all boxed lunches and home cooked meals are all off the table."

He glared at her. His own eye started to twitch at the trap he had unknowingly stepped in to. After a moment of internally debating he sighed in defeat. "Fine, maybe some of your commoner food isn't so bad." He said gruffly, a slight pout on his face. He hated to lose but he loved her cooking so if he had to swallow his pride to get her to keep making him meals he would do it, no matter how difficult it was for him.

"That's all I wanted to hear." She smiled triumphantly, happily chalking up this battle as a victory for her. Looking up at his pouting face her eyes landed on the black backpack that hung loosely off his shoulder. "By the way, what's in the backpack? I don't think I've ever seen you carry one." She couldn't think of a single occasion of him carrying a bag or anything for that matter. He usually only ever carried his wallet on him and the walkie-talkie that she could see making a slight bulge in his pants pocket.

The pout that was on his face formed into a deep frown. "Inside are all the pictures and other memorial things from my apartment."

She was taken aback by this, not expecting him to carry everything with him. Then again maybe she shouldn't be so surprised. After all he said his mother ordered everything to be burned so she figured the only way everything stayed safe was if he carried it all with him. It was a sweet gesture and she hated to ruin the moment but she just had to correct him. "You mean memorabilia. A memorial is what you go to do when someone dies."

His cheeks flushed at the correction. "Whatever, it doesn't matter. They're practically the same thing," they were nowhere near the same thing but she wasn't about to say anything. "Everything in this bag in precious to me and I'm going to protect it all." He was looking at her, his gaze locking with hers and making her heart skip a beat. It was during times like these when she saw him transform from a boy to a man. She had to look away, the blush on her face becoming so intense that she felt dizzy. "I mean it," he made her turn back to face him. "I almost lost you once because I wasn't able to tell you the truth about who I am. But now you know, I'm a Domyouji and I will do everything possible to keep you with me."

Her heart was beating a mile a minute. Hearing him say such things was like something out of a fairytale where the prince promises to protect the princess from the terrifying fire breathing dragon. As a child she had told her family that when she grew up she wanted to be a princess but they said she needed to give up on that dream because they were so poor. It was the first disappoint in her life, having your dream crushed as a child was never an easy thing. But now she wondered if she was getting another shot at that long forgotten dream. "And if you can't?" she gulped, licking her suddenly dry lips. She needed to know all the facts before she let hopes get the best of her. She's learned from experience that it was foolish to go off on things if you didn't have all the information.

She expected he would get mad at her for doubting him but instead he smiled at her. "Remember when I said I would chase you until you're mine? Well I meant it. I would give everything and then I would leap into your world."

Those few simple but powerful words were all she needed to hear to make up her mind. Standing on the tips of her toes she leaned forward to kiss him. It was the first time they kissed that day since meeting up and she hadn't realized just how much she missed the feeling of his lips pressed against hers. His kisses were always rough as he tried to take control but it lit a fire inside her every time. It might have been because she was a competitive person by nature that having him kiss her like that made her kiss him back in the same manner. She was sure if she kissed someone who was meek and let her take control all the time she wouldn't have enjoyed it nearly as much. The world around them had grown quiet as they kissed. A little too quiet. Opening one eye she stiffen up when she saw they had an audience.

"What's wrong?" Tsukasa had felt her stiffen up but he wasn't sure what the cause was. He hadn't even used his tongue, though he had been close to doing that kind of kiss, and he hadn't put his hands anywhere on her body that she deemed to be to inappropriate for the public. She weakly pointed ahead and he followed and when he caught sight of what had caused her to stop the kiss made his own body stiffen up. His three friends were all watching with interest, perhaps a little too much interest, as his sister recorded them kissing with a wide smile on her face. He felt his anger rising with each passing second before he could no longer hold it in and exploded. "Just what the hell are you all doing!?" he cried, jumping at the group to scream and yell and hit the group that had been watching them. He got in a few good kicks, mostly towards Akira and Soujirou and Tsubaki had punched him a few times too before he finally managed to make them leave so he could be alone with Tsukushi.

"Are they always like that?" she asked, once the dispute had ended. She had been content with staying in the back and out of the way.

He nodded, "Unfortunately." He was annoyed. He finally got things back to normal and they had to go and ruin the moment they were having.

Tsukushi could only giggle. "Come on, let's go." With a quick look at her watch told her that they needed to get moving before she ended up going to work late. They walked along side each other once more and he let out a long yawn. "Sounds like you could go for a nap." She said, giggling softly as he nodded silently in agreement.

"Yeah, not sure why but I suddenly feel drained." He was used to not always getting a good night sleep. His mother would often send his projects and reports that needed to be due on impossible deadlines from early on in his childhood to even now while he was still in school. But even during those sleepless nights he's never felt this tired before.

Tsukushi had a good idea why he was so tired. "It's been a long day." She herself was starting to feel the drain that had come after being on an emotional rollercoaster all day. She finally learned the truth about him and his life and then she learned about his family and about his mother who seemed like she despised everything about her very existence. Honesty she would be amazed if she didn't pass out during work.

He didn't respond. His hand reached for hers but she shook it away and instead placed it around her shoulder. "Stop causing more damage to your hands. You're injured and that means giving your hands a break before you cause anymore harm to yourself." She scolded him softly, unconsciously leaning in closer to his body now that his arm was wrapped around her. It was almost instinct now; being so close to him that his body heat would warm up her body and have her heart skip a beat every time he touched her. She jumped slightly when he kissed the top of her head. Looking up at him with blushing cheeks she was a little surprised to see such a soft happy look on his face. "What's that look for? You're not thinking something dirty, are you?" she teased, poking his chest in a joking manner.

He came to a sudden halt; the arm that held her pushed her up against his chest as his other arms came to hold her. She nestled her face in closer into the soft fabric of his winter coat, the thumping of his heart sounded in her ears. "I love you." He whispered into her hair, making her shiver at the hot breath that hit the top of her head. The vibration of his voice echoed throughout her mind, reminding her of the soft whispered Rui Hanazawa had told her back in the restaurant. Tsukasa loves her, he's told her many times and each time it made her so happy to hear them. Even after everything that's happened the last two days it made her entire body fill with joy. But deep in the corners of her heart she felt something else, something that made her feel like she was standing in the eye of the storm. Was it because of his mother? They were all well aware that she would try and do something to break them apart. But if she did something to Tsukasa that made him forcibly leave her? She wouldn't be able to go on knowing that he was in pain because of her. Looking at the two wrapped hands made her hold onto him tighter. But he's already experienced pain because of her. Could she bear to put him through anymore? She loved him and wanted to be with him and she would do her best to protect him, just like she knew he would do for her. But why did she still feel like there was something keeping her from fully enjoying this moment. Here she was, in the arms of the man she loved who was confessing his own love for her and she was feeling like she was in a horror film where the main character was about to meet the antagonist. _"Please, let whatever this feeling is go away. Please, let it just be the nerves. Please!" _

"I love you too." She whispered into his chest, doing her best to push down all the negative emotions that she was feeling. She didn't want to be feeling such things when she was with him. She wanted to feel how she did when she had still been ignorant to the truth about him. But she knew things could never be the same because they weren't the same as they were back then. But she was sure despite the differences in their social class they could make things work. "But Tsukasa, I need you to promise me two things." She stopped him, as he was about to kiss her. Before they could go any further she needed him to agree to some things. "First, you have to promise you won't tell my family about you being rich."

"Why?" he asked, clearly confused by the request. Why would they care? He had a feeling that they wouldn't be too pleased that he had not only lied to their daughter but to them as well for a year, but he figured after he bought them a nicer house they would start to warm up to him.

She felt a little embarrassed for saying this but he knew her parents and what they were like. "Because the minute they find our you're a Domyouji they'll stop looking for work altogether and practically have us married in a day."

He was silent for a moment, taking in her words. He thought back to that day he had been in her room and her mother had come in and had bluntly said straight to his face that they had every intention of their daughter marrying a rich man. "Hmm, maybe I should have told you the truth a lot sooner." He grinned, thinking of how the family would act once they learned the truth. They liked him well enough but he was positive once he revealed himself they would have no issues when he asked for their blessings.

Tsukushi saw that grin and knew exactly what he was thinking. She pinched his cheek to pull him out of his fantasy. "I still have one more thing to discuss," she didn't care that he was now glaring at her. This was a serious matter and one that was very important to her. "Before we go any further I need you to promise me that you'll tell me the truth from now on. I don't want to keep going out with a guy I know nothing about. So I have to know if you're still keeping anything from me." If she was going to continue being with him she had to know the truth about him. That meant knowing every little detail he had kept hidden from her over the course of the year they had been together. Everything that he lied about when he pretend to be Tsukasa Daidouji.

He pulled her back towards him. "I promise everything I've told you is the real me. There's nothing else to tell." He smiled.

"You promise?" she asked and he nodded. With a smile of her own she closed her eyes and leaned back into the kiss she had rejected earlier. She gripped the back of his coat, his nails digging into the soft, and no doubt, expensive material as he rested one hand on her lower back and the other was in her hair. Their kiss was passionate and full of love, it made them both feel so happy to have each other and after everything they went through it made this gesture feel even more special. But for Tsukushi she felt one more thing. A feeling in her gut that wouldn't leave her even as their kiss deepened to the point that the others on the street were starting to stare. She felt bitter because she finally picked up on a sign. When Tsukasa lies he smiles.


	9. Chapter 9

For Tsukushi it's been a strange couple of days. Ever since she learned her boyfriend was actually Tsukasa Domyouji, the heir to an entire business and fortune it seems like her life has gone from peaceful and uneventful to being a roller coaster with unexpected turns and loop-de-loops all the time. For the most part they were still the same, they still fought all the time and kissed when no one was around, but now when they go out on dates it's usually at a high-class restaurant. She always felt out of place whenever they go some place where the food or clothes cost more than her rent. She tried voicing her discomfort once to Tsukasa but he took it the wrong way and believed it was the people working there who were upsetting her. Needless to say he went on a rampage and she had to drag him out before he really hurt someone. That was another thing that had changed. Before Tsukasa would normally only glare at a person who upset her and only hit them if they had hurt her. Although now she realized those people who had done something to upset her had shown up on the news for being reported missing. She asked him about this once but he merely smirked and had such a haughty demeanor she got too annoyed to keep asking. Now he was much more open and had no qualms about scaring away anyone who dared tried to approach her in a threatening manner. It was really sweet in a sense but at the same time it was also really embarrassing. Everyone in the high-class society knew him and they were always approaching him, trying to get cozy with the future heir and make connections but he always shot them down. Especially if they came up to him when they were on a date.

Now was one of those times.

Currently they were eating at a French restaurant where she couldn't read any part of the menu. She had the sneaking suspicion he wasn't as adapt in the French language as he claimed because when he tried ordering the waiter had given them a strange look. He had brought out their food only for Tsukasa to send it all back and demand that they be served what he had ordered. It took three tries before the staff got it right and for him to calm down. "You know, we could have gone to another restaurant. One where we can actually read the menu." She said, fiddling with the napkin that was on her lap. She was wearing a light pink dress that his sister had bought for her on one of their shopping trips. The older woman had taken quite a liking to her and while she cared for Tsubaki too, she always came home drained after a day of shopping with the older woman.

Tsukasa scoffed, taking a sip of his drink. "I can read French just fine. The waiters here are just incompetent."

She could only roll her eyes. Whenever something happened that wasn't to his liking he always complained and said it was another person's fault. He really was a rich boy. _"How could I not have known?" _Even though days have passed since she found out his secret she was still asking herself the same question. How could she not seen it? His entire demeanor screamed rich and high class, but she brushed it all off as him just being a spoiled brat. Which wasn't too far off. He could at times remind her of a child that threw a tantrum for not getting their way but she supposed that was one of the reasons why she loved him. "I'm pretty sure you were saying a mixture of French and Japanese when you ordered," she told him, giggling softly when she saw his cheeks heat up in embarrassment. "Why not have your friend Rui Hanazawa help you? He seems to speak French pretty well." After finding out the truth about him, she finally met his friends and one of them she had become pretty close to. Out of the three boys she felt she had grown more of a connection with Rui Hanazawa, which was strange since he was the one who said the least.

She realized she stepped on a landmine when she saw the look of jealously shine in his eyes and the angry look appear on his face. "Rui," he slammed his glass on the table, shattering it instantly. His hands had finally healed and now he was able to use his full strength. Something she wasn't sure was a good thing. "You two have gotten pretty close these past few days. Tell me…" he leaned in closer, his hands gripping at the table cloth so hard she could hear the stitches come apart. "Do you like him?" he all but growled out, his aura dangerous and possessive.

She felt worry creep into her. She knew that look. It was the same look he got whenever another male started to show even the slightest interest in her. He wasn't a fan of guys getting close with her nor was he amused whenever she stated someone other than him was good looking. He was the pure ambiance of jealously. "Well he is pretty cute." though she knew just how dangerous his temper could be she also couldn't help messing with him. If he was going to get jealous so easily then why not mess with him once in a while. It may just teach him a lesson.

The dangerous aura around him seemed to have erupted because he stood up in a flash, cracking each one of his knuckles. "Excuse me for a moment." He started to walk away but she quickly stopped him.

She knew then that her little joke had gone to far and it was pointless to try and have him understand things. He was much too thickheaded. "Don't even think about it," she jumped in front of him and pointed an accusing finger up at him. "I know that look, you're about to do something stupid."

He scoffed but didn't deny it.

"You really need to stop letting your jealously take over." She told him, shaking her head slightly.

His left eyebrow twitched. "Of course I'm going to be jealous. My girlfriend just said one of my best friends was cute. What do you expect me to do?" he huffed, his arms at his side stiffed with his hands balled into fists.

"I expect you to not get so worked up over a joke." She sighed, shaking her head. She should have known a joke like that wouldn't have gone over well. He was the jealous type by nature but lately he seemed much more on edge than usual. Though she had a good idea about what was the cause. His mother, Kaede Domyouji, was not her biggest fan and had purposely brought Tsukushi to their home to expose Tsukasa in his lie and force them to break up. Since that day he's been extra sensitive and protective, always keeping close to her and never seemed to relax when they were out in public. When she asked him about it he said that he didn't trust his mother and was expecting her to do some kind of sneak attack. That had freaked her out and made her more than a little paranoid, which was the reason why they ended up inside this place. To escape the outside world that suddenly seemed to be filled with spies watching them around every corner. "I know you're worried, but you've got to trust me. I'm not going to leave you for one of your friends or anyone else." For her there was no one else. Her heart had already been given to him and she doubt she would ever get it back.

He relaxed at this, smiling down at her. Her words reassured him, making his heavy heart become light and had his eyes shining with joy. He grasped hold of her hand in his, his thumb rubbing gentle circles over her soft skin.

"Mr. Domyouji," Tsukasa groaned, his body stiffening back up. Of course someone would chose right now to disrupt them. It seemed lately whenever they were having a nice moment alone together they would always get interrupted right before the good part. It was usually by one of his friends and his sister but by the sound of deep voice he knew it was none of them, for once. Turning around slowly he came face to face with a middle-age looking man that he recognized as a president of some company. He couldn't remember this man's name nor what his company was so he concluded that whatever business he ran was not anything important and they were only bothering him for one reason. They wanted something from him. "I must say it is very pleasant to see you again. You have grown into such a fine young man; one who I'm sure is more than ready take over the Domyouji Enterprise. You're father must be proud," he finally took notice of the young woman standing beside them. "My oh my, I was not aware you had a girlfriend. My daughter will be terribly disappointed," his eyes were sharp as he examined her from head to toe. She couldn't help but gulp at his gaze and unconsciously moved closer to Tsukasa. "I can only assume she goes to Eitoku. After all, someone of your status wouldn't settle for anything less. Funny how my daughter never mentioned you dating another student."

His words were an insult hidden behind sweet words. He wasn't fooling any of them and Tsukushi frowned at his judgment of her already but she knew that even in the new dress she didn't give the appearance of someone with money. But that didn't give him the right to look down on her. She opened her mouth to retort back but Tsukasa beat her too it.

"Actually, she doesn't go to Eitoku. She attends a commoners school." The way he spoke was filled with such pride but it still irked her that he continued to call her high school a commoner school. Didn't he know any other word besides that to describe her life?

This, taking a step back to get his bearing, visibly shocked the man. "You must be joking. The heir to the Domyouji Empire dating a low class citizen? What will your father say about this?"

Tsukasa sized the man up, his arms crossed over his chest with a deadly look in his eyes. "I suggest you worry less about my father and more about me. As you keep stating I am the heir to my family's company and in a couple of years I will decide who we will and will no longer do business with. So if I were you I'd watched on how you address my girlfriend," his words were strong, full of confidences and threats that had the entire restaurant looking at them. Wherever they went he always seemed to be at the very center of attention. "But of course I sincerely doubt you'll still be in business by the time I succeed my father so I really see no need to waste anymore of my time on the likes of you." He smirked when the older male's face began to turn beat red, from embarrassment or anger no one knew and no one really cared. All that mattered was that they weren't in his shoes. It came as no surprise anyone when the older male stormed off, trying to save what's left of his pride. "Dumbass." Tsukasa flipped him off and scoffed at his retreating figure. He hated people like that man the most, always thinking they could just waltz right up to him and get him to agree to anything so long as they stroked his ego. Usually he humors them a little before rejecting them but that man crossed a line when he insulted Tsukushi. He wouldn't allow anyone to say or do anything that could cause her harm. As her boyfriend it was his duty to protect her. "Come on, let's get out of here." He grabbed her hand, pulling her along and out of the restaurant.

"Huh?!" Tsukushi had been so caught up in the moment she hadn't realized she was being ushered out until he started dragging her along and putting on her jacket for her. "But what about the food?" she looked back at the table full of uneaten dishes that would no doubt go to waste.

"They can just charge it to my family's account. It's no big deal." He assured her, pushing her out into the cold streets without giving her any time to try and fight back. He instantly wrapped an arm around her once they stepped outside and started walking around.

His hold on her was strong and tight, matching well with his stiff body. She's known him long enough to realize when he was upset. Even when he was pretending to be someone else he still acted the same way. Whenever he was upset it was obvious to all. "You shouldn't let what that man said bother you," she didn't know why she had to be the one to cheer him up. The old man hadn't even insulted him, but rather he was making bad remarks about her. She knew that her family's status, or lack of, wasn't typical of someone from his high society world to date but she saw no reason for him to get so upset. If anything she should be the one fuming right now. But despite being eighteen years old Tsukasa had the temper of a two year old. He didn't say anything instead choosing to silently glare down at her. She merely rolled her eyes at his behavior. She had gotten used to his tantrums a long time ago. "But you know, you did look pretty cool. I was actually a little impressed." She smiled up at him as sweetly as she could. She knew exactly what to say to make this spoiled brat turn into a happy-go-lucky puppy.

Her plan worked. In an instant the frown on his face disappeared and in its place was one of joy and pride. Not that he would admit to this and merely scoffed. "As if I need you to tell me I look cool. I already know how awesome I am." He said with a haughty laugh, his chest puffed out all the way but despite his confident words he had one of the biggest grins on his face that matched his rose colored cheeks. He was trying, and failing, to hide the fact that her words actually made him feel happy.

_"And he's supposed to take over a multi-billion dollar company?" _sometimes she seriously wondered if the fact he was a Domyouji was the real lie and he was just pulling her leg. He could be serious from time to time but it was moments when he got like this she couldn't imagine him sitting at a desk all day. He'd probably throw it out a window after an hour of having to sit still. But it was all true, he was the heir to his family's company and in a few years he would take over as CEO. It was why so many businessmen approached him, they all wanted to cozy up to the future heir to secure their spots among the Domyouji Corporation. She had to admit it didn't sound so bad when he first explained it to her but after witnessing that last encounter, which hadn't been her first time, she grew to understand more about him and his world. Having people be nice to you only because of your money all your life had to be lonely. So far no one had tried anything with her, though Tsukasa said they would try, but usually once he announced she wasn't from a wealthy family they wasted no time in stating all her faults and praising their own daughters. She understood the rich only liked to associate with others born in their society but that didn't mean they needed to keep telling her what was wrong with her. She was starting to get fed up with it and she could tell he was as well. He hated it when others would disrespect her just because she wasn't from money or that she didn't attend Eitoku like the rest of them and he had no trouble expressing his anger towards those who were stupid enough to insult her in front of him. She found his protective behavior of her reputation to be very sweet but there was one thing that bothered her about it all.

Every businessman that had come up to them had mentioned their daughter attended Eitoku. It was the same school Tsukasa attended and the one she purposely flunked out of. She had no intentions of going to some rich kids school but now she couldn't help but wonder if she had gone would she and Tsukasa be where they are now. She voiced her thoughts only once to him and the reaction she got wasn't one she had expected.

_**~X~**_

_It was a cold night, winter still in effect and blowing out a snowstorm that took everyone by surprise. None more than Tsukushi and Tsukasa who had just been hanging around in her room and were surprised by the shaky windows that threatened to break against the fierce winds. Her family was in the next room and you could hear her mother shouting about how expensive it would be to fix the glass if it did shatter against the cold gust. "You may want to call a ride home." She suggested as she watched one of her neighbors nearly fall down from the force of the wind. _

_Tsukasa thought about this as he rested against the wall in her room. "I could..." she turned to look at him with one eyebrow raised. He was up to something; she could hear it in his voice. "Or, I could stay over." He grinned, gesturing to her bed with his head. _

_"You really want to share a room with my brother again." She shot down his idea without even batting an eye. So far her parents still didn't know about who he really was and she was planning on keeping it that way. The minute they found out he was a Domyouji they would stop looking for work and be relentless in getting her to marry him. _

_"Why can't your parents just let me sleep in your room? It's not like we could even do anything." He said, knocking on the thin wall with his hand. He easily heard the voices of her family from the next room and knew that they could most likely hear them as well. He saw no reason for them to mistrust him, he loved their daughter with all his heart and he wouldn't do anything that could make them feel he wasn't right for Tsukushi. Besides their first time together would be when it was just the two of them and not with her family right behind a door that didn't even lock. "Would you let me tell them who I really am already?!" he cried, fed up with pretending to be someone else. Now that she knew who he really was he no longer wanted to keep acting like a middle-class citizen. Once they found out who he was they would be much more lenient with their rules in letting him stay over. According to Tsukushi her parents lived in a fantasy that she would marry a rich man that would make all their troubles go away. Well he was that man and that was exactly what he wanted to do. He planned that once he announced himself he was going to buying them a much nicer house in a good neighborhood. He had put up with this small rundown apartment for the year he pretended to be Tsukasa Daidouji, but now he had the ability to be himself and buy them a better house, one with locks on every door and window and that wasn't in such a bad part of town. Didn't she understand that she was giving him gray hairs every time he thought about her living in such a dangerous area? _

_"Not happening," Tsukushi shook her head and frowned that they were having this conversation again. Now that he no longer had his apartment they were forced to spend a majority of their time together at her house when they weren't in the mood to go out. It wasn't so bad but both missed the single apartment compared to her house, which had an extreme lack of privacy and her family's constant hints that they wanted their daughter to be with a rich man. "The minute they find out who you really are they'll stop working altogether and bother me nonstop to become your bride." She sighed, wishing she had a normal family. She briefly wondered if he felt this bothered every time she asked to meet his family when he was keeping his secret from her. _

_His head perked up at her words. Without a word he quickly got to his feet, a determined look on his face. "I'm telling them." He marched towards the door with every intention of revealing his true identity. _

_Tsukushi knew she had to act fast to stop him. "I won't make you lunch for tomorrow!" she cried, hoping that her threat would stop him. It did. The moment those words left her mouth he froze in his spot, turned around in a robotic like fashion and sat back down in his spot, a pout on his face. _

_"You don't play fair." He muttered, glaring slightly at her for not letting him have his way. He still didn't see what the big deal was about her parents knowing the truth; he figured they would be ecstatic to know their daughter is in fact dating the rich man they have been hoping she would. It would solve a lot of their problems but she was being so stubborn. "Why do you have to fight me tooth and finger all the time?" he wasn't used to people not letting him get his way. Though he supposed that was one of the main qualities he liked about her. She was no pushover and he enjoyed their arguments, whenever she challenged him he always felt a spark of excitement shoot through his entire body. _

_"I think you'll find the expression is tooth and nail," she corrected him, not surprised by the annoyed/embarrassed look that took over his face. "You know for someone who is supposed to be the richest of the rich you'd think you could afford a tutor to teach you how to properly speak." She smirked. She's been making quite a few remarks about his family's rich status in order to get back at him for lying to her for so long. _

_He scoffed, obviously not amused by her joke. "It's not my fault all those old fools were such terrible teachers." He said, crossing his arms. _

_"Yeah, I'm sure they were the problem." She rolled her eyes. No matter what the situation was he would never be able to admit something couldn't happen because of him. It always had to be someone else's fault. She expected he would yell and demand some respect and an apology from her but instead he shocked her by leaning forward and kissing her forehead. Her cheeks turned pink as she touched the spot that had just been kissed. "What was that for?" she gulped, her heart skyrocketing. It still amazed her how even a simple kiss from him had her heart racing. _

_Tsukasa smiled, seeing her blushing face made his own heart race. She was too cute for her own good. "Because I wanted too," he grabbed her hand that was touching her forehead and kissed her palm. "It's nice. Being able to talk with you about this." He pulled at her, making her come to sit in his lap as he wrapped his arms around her. For an entire year he lied to her about who he really was but now that things were out in the open it felt so good to be able to joke about his lifestyle with her. It was what he always wanted. She accepted him for who he was and not because he was a Domyouji. _

_Her body adjusted itself into his embrace automatically, getting herself into a more comfortable position as she placed both hands over his. "And too think none of this would have happened if I hadn't bumped into you and spilled coffee all over the two of us." She felt a smile come onto her face as she thought back to that fateful day that started it all. That day had a sparked an interest in both of them for the other. Even if she hadn't fallen for him as fast as he had fallen for her, she had to admit he definitely had stayed on her mind for the rest of that fateful day. _

_"Don't you mean because of your clumsiness?" he chuckled, burying his face into her hair. Her natural scent engulfed his senses making him hold her tighter and wishing that his mother hadn't taken his apartment away. The moment between them was good, things were out in the open and nothing was stopping them. And this time he was prepared. He had the protection he lacked the last time they attempted to sleep together. Now that she knew who he really was there was nothing that could interfere with them or cause problems. But even if they still couldn't make lover together all he wanted to do was fall asleep with her in his arms and wake up with her the next morning. That one time he had woken up with her in his arms, her sleeping face the first thing he saw and the feel of her body pressed up against his all night had spoiled him and now he wanted more, so much more. _

_Tsukushi nudged him lightly at his comment. "You know, I wonder..." she spoke, debating if she should say this but there was something that she needed to find out. "If I had passed the Eitoku entrance exam do you think we'd be where we are right now?" She felt his body grow stiff the moment the words left her mouth and it made her heart clench. _

_He tightened his hold on her, placing his chin on her shoulder so their faces touched. "Without a doubt in my mind I would have fallen in love with you no matter what the situation was." His words were genuine. He fell in love with her because of who she was and if she had indeed gone to his school then he had no doubt that he would have fallen for her. _

_But her feeling the same for him might have been a different story. _

_Tsukushi's heart skipped a beat. He seemed to be making her heart go into overdrive a lot these days. How can he say such things without an ounce of shame? She still had trouble kissing him in public for longer than a few seconds but he always seemed to have no problem expressing himself no matter the situation. She sometimes wished she had his self-confidence. _

_"Although instead of you spilling coffee on me you'd probably do another clumsy stunt like falling down the stairs and landing on my face." He joked, smiling at her. _

_It was that smile that made her want to scream. She was no longer the ignorant girl that couldn't figure out her boyfriend was a super rich man. It had taken her a while but after thinking over everything she finally picked up on a sign of when he was lying. If there was something he didn't want her to know about he would smile. "You idiot." She reached over and yanked at his cheek, watching in slight amusement as he winced as the stretching of his skin. She did this to let some steam. So far she hasn't said anything because she wasn't sure what to say. She knew he was keeping something from her but what that was she didn't have a clue. All she knew was that it involved his school. _

_He frowned, pulling his cheek away from her grip. "I swear, you don't have a romantic bone in your body." Knocking his forehead lightly against hers and stayed there. Their eyes locked, their feeling for each other took over and slowly they started to lean in c, their lips inching closer and closer together until…_

_"Tsukushi, come give us a hand. This darn wind is about to break all our windows!" Mrs. Makino came barging in, demanding for her daughters help and now caring that she had interrupted the two from kissing. She knew exactly what was going on the moment she could no longer hear their muffled voices and while she did not dislike Daidouji, she would much rather have a rich son-in-law. "Daidouji-san, if you plan on staying the night I suggest you help to." She gave the two teens a cheeky grin before stalking back off to help the rest of her family, leaving the door to her room wide open. _

_Tsukushi could only groan on embarrassment. "Well that killed the mood." _

_"Dead and buried." Tsukasa agreed wholeheartedly. Why was it whenever they were about to get to the good part they were interrupted? Were they cursed or something? _

_Leaning back against his chest she let out a low sigh. "I guess we should go help them and then you should go home." _

_He frowned, annoyed that this night was not going his way at all. "Yeah, alright." _

_She saw the disappointment in his eyes and quickly leaned forward to place a soft peck on his lips. "Come on. The sooner we do this the sooner you go home and the sooner I can get started on your lunch." He had annoyed her all day yesterday for her to make him a bento for lunch one day and after making him come shopping with she had all the ingredients to make them both lunches._

_Tsukasa sat motionless for a moment, stunned by her sudden affection. Every time she was the first one to initiate something it left him stupefied and blushing. Clearing his throat he stood up, trying to force down the heat that gathered in his cheeks as the two left her room. She may not have a romantic bone in her body but still managed to make him fall more and more in love with her every passing second. _

_**~X~**_

Tsukasa dragging her into an alleyway pulled Tsukushi from her thoughts. "Hey!" she cried but he placed a hand over her mouth, silencing any further protest from her.

"Be quiet and stay still," he leaned in closer to her, covering her body with his and quickly peered out behind the corner. "Damn paparazzi. Don't they have lives of their own?" he growled, annoyed when he caught sight of the man that had been following them, a camera in his hands.

She now understood his sudden strange behavior and pushed his hand down from her face. "Do you think he saw us?" by us, she meant herself. Now that things were out in the open and Tsukasa was announcing to every businessman that he had a girlfriend the media was after them to get her picture.

He shook his head. "No, he only saw that I was with you. I don't think he got a glimpse of what you look like." This he was sure of. By the way the man was frantically searching for them told him all he needed to know.

Tsukushi looked up at him, the worry lines that appeared in his forehead seemed to be showing up a lot recently. "Hey, would it really be that bad if they did get my picture?" she asked softly, trying to hide what she was really feeling by asking that question. She found it a bit strange that he seemed so adamant in keeping her identity a secret from the public. The old thoughts that he was somehow ashamed to be dating her were starting to come back. But he had no problems telling it to the people that approached him, so that had to mean something. Or did he only not care because they were people he would never do business with?

"You're so stupid," he flicked her forehead. He could easily tell what was going on by the look in her eyes. "I don't want some trashy magazine announcing our relationship because I want to do that myself." He told her; annoyed that she still doubted his feelings for her.

Rubbing the sore spot on her forehead she looked up at him with annoyance shinning in her eyes. "If that's true than why haven't you done so already?" What was the point in her knowing his secret if they had to be careful every place they went too? She thought the whole reason he told her was because he was tired of hiding.

He had both hands on either sides of her head and leaned in closer but she stopped him by placing her hands on his mouth. His glare met one of her own and he sighed. He hadn't been planning on having this conversation with her so soon but now it looked like he had no choice. Moving her hands from his mouth he thought of how to properly phrase what he needed to tell her. "My mother doesn't like you."

Tsukushi scoffed, "That's an understatement." She had never officially met his mother but from all the stories she's heard she sounded really scary. She had been the one to make Tsukushi appear at his eighteenth birthday party and reveal his secret to her. She had done it in hopes to ruin their relationship. She had also ordered everything that represented their time together to be burned. So saying that she didn't like her was like saying she wasn't a fan of carrots. It was obvious the woman practically detested her very existents because she was dating her son.

Tsukasa groaned. "I see my parents maybe once a year if I'm lucky. We're practically strangers to each other but she is still my mother and I want her to recognize you as the girl I love. So until that time comes I don't want anything that could mess things up." If the public found out her identity it would have a lot of his enemies setting their sights on her. He was having a hard enough time trying to figure out his mother's plans for them, he did not need the added pressure of others going after her. It was his job to protect her.

A blush overtook her face at his words. Why was it whenever he was actually trying to be romantic things always became weird between them but when they were just talking, not thinking about what to say or do, it always had one or both of them blushing like there was no tomorrow. She understood his reasons and that annoyed her. She had hoped it would be something stupid so she could hit him and talk him out of it. But his reasoning was actually very sweet and it made her feel happy. Leaning on the tips of her toes she kissed his cheek. "I understand, but you don't need to worry so much. I'm a weed remember. I'm stronger than I look." She grinned, making a fist. She's knocked him out a couple of times whenever he did something stupid but she was well aware that he could easily stop her punches if he tried.

He smiled down at her, taking her fist in his hand and pulled her closer to him. "Hearing you say that makes me want to protect you even more." He knew exactly what kind of power she had. She stood up against him more than once and put him in his place. She wasn't the type to bow down to others and would fight for what she believed in. She was strong and more than capable than defending herself but knowing that only made him want to get stronger so she wouldn't have to go through all that trouble. "My mother will be flying back to New York in a couple of days but before that I want you two to meet."

She felt nervous but nodded at his request. "When do you want to do this?"

He thought about it. "Tomorrow."

She smacked him. "Tomorrow?!" she cried. What the hell was he trying to do to her? She thought she would have more time to prepare for her first meeting with his mother but he was giving her absolutely no time at all.

He growled, annoyed that she had hit him. "I'm don't feel like waiting around anymore. The sooner you two meet the sooner we can go out in public without the need to hide from the media." Because once the world knew her parents would find out the truth and allow him to sleep over. That is of course once he bought them a nicer house with actual beds instead of futons. He doesn't understand how she can stand to sleep on the floor every night.

She was tempted to say that they were only hiding because of him but she held her tongue. Starting a fight at this time would only end badly. So letting out a low sigh and with a heart full of nerves she agreed. "Alright, but you better be there the whole time."

He grinned, happy that she wasn't fighting him on this. "I promise I won't leave your side."

She nodded; mentally thinking about everything that she should do that could help in impressing his mother. "Should I meet you at your school tomorrow then? It might be a good idea to go over some things." She wanted to be prepared when she came face to face with his mother. She would need to know everything about the woman and what she should and shouldn't do in the hopes of getting the woman to like her. Or at the very least tolerate her.

He stiffened up and quickly shook his head. "No," he slammed her back against the wall. "I'll have a car waiting for you. I'll even prepare a dress for you. There's absolutely no reason for you to come to my school."

Tsukushi didn't believe a word of that. "Why are you so against me going to your school?" she had enough. He was hiding things from her and she was fed up. He had promised her that he wouldn't keep any more secrets from her but he still was.

"Because it's just a stupid place that I'm only attending to please those corporate bastards before I take over the company," He growled. Why did she have to be so stubborn? Couldn't she just go along with what he said and agree like any other girl? Though he supposed if she did then she wouldn't be the girl he loved. He smiled, hoping he could get her to back off on wanting to come to his school. "Besides I don't see why you're so interested. It's not like you're missing much. Our schools aren't so different. In fact I bet we have tea time the same time as the rest of the schools in Japan."

"Public schools don't have tea time." She corrected him, crossing her arms and shaking her head. She couldn't tell if he was trying to distract her or if he was really that clueless.

He blinked in surprise. "Really? Then what do you guys have?"

By his expression she decided that he really was that stupid. "Gym class." She groaned.

He perked up at this. "Oh, I didn't know your school had its own gym. We have one too, although I supposed your commoner school doesn't have the latest equipment."

She groaned, throwing her hands up in the air and walked out of the alley. Screw the paparazzi, if she stayed there having that conversation with him she was going to scream.

"Hey, wait up!" he cried, doing a double check to make sure that the photographer was gone. Thankfully the cost was clear and he didn't need to worry about someone exposing them before he was ready. "What's your problem? If you're annoyed about not having the latest stuff I can send it over to your school."

She groaned again. He really was a fool if he thought that was what was bothering her. Sure she wasn't his biggest fan when it came to his ignorance about the "commoner's" life but that wasn't the only thing that annoyed her. He had lied straight to her face, again. She forgave him for his year of lying to her because she could understand his reasoning. After all it had been because of her that he lied, she really needs to watch what she says around people, but that didn't excuse the fact that he was still lying to her. She accepted that he was from the rich and famous, she didn't care that he had money practically growing on trees, that wasn't why she fell in love with him. He knew this so why was he still keeping things from her? There was something going on at his school that he didn't want her to know about. But what that was she couldn't even begin to understand. She may not have the slightest clue about what he was hiding from her but her gut was telling her that whatever it was it had something to do with him. Something he desperately didn't want her finding out about.

She stopped in her tracks to look back at the man that had been yelling at her for the past three blocks. He was huffing from all screaming he had been doing and a frown was set deep on his face. "About damn time you stopped." He growled, annoyed that she had walked away from him and ignored his calls.

She looked up at him, searching his eyes for the truth. She wanted to be wrong. She didn't want to be right. She wanted to be wrong about it all, his lying and keeping things hidden from her. She'd rather be the jealous paranoid girlfriend than knowing that he was still lying to her. "You're an idiot." She sighed, shaking her head. Once more he growled and marched up to her. Throwing an arm around her he grumbled under his breath about how strange girls and their ever-changing emotions were. She smiled softly at his behavior but had to look away to hide the expression on her face. She loved Tsukasa with all her heart but she knew that she needed to find out what he was hiding from her if they wanted to continue to be together. But despite her determination to find out the truth she was frightened. The last time she found out about his secret she had felt so betrayed and used. Her heart broke and it felt like it would never repair. She wasn't sure if she could handle going through that same kind of pain again. So what was she supposed to do? Does she stay ignorant or should she try to find out the truth? Whatever she decided it would change everything that much she knew for sure. _"I don't know what I'm supposed to do." _


	10. Chapter 10

It never occurred to her just how maddening the ticking of the clock could be. It felt like her heart was about to stop with each passing second. She was in her last class of the day but for the life of her Tsukushi could not bring herself to focus on anything her teacher was saying. Her eyes were glued to the clock, watching the dial that ticked on by, letting her know the time and what was to come. It was just yesterday when Tsukasa announced he wanted her to meet his mother and once school let out she would be going to his house and finally come face to face with the woman who already decided she wasn't good enough to date her son. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't nervous, hell she was down right terrified. She would have preferred more than a days notice about meeting such an important person. But deep down she knew if she had been allowed to prepare she probably would have been overcome by her nerves and chickened out. He knew this and that was probably the main reason why he gave her such a short notice.

Sometimes it scared her how well he knew her. Especially now when she thinks about how she was only just learning things about him. He could read her like a book but for a year she had been unable to pick up on any of the signs of him lying to her. Was she really just that easy of a person to read or was he someone more complex than she gave him credit for? She wasn't sure what the answer was but she did know one thing, if she continued to sit her thinking about such things she was going to scream. Never once in all her seventeen years did she ever remember class going by so slow. Her time spent in the seat felt like an eternity had passed. Couldn't the teacher finish his lecture already? Didn't he know that she had somewhere very important to be today? Meeting the one person who could very well end her relationship with Tsukasa with a snap of her fingers.

From the corner of her eye she looked at Yuuki who was being a good student and paying attention to their teacher. Something she really should be doing, they had exams coming up but even if she did try and listen to their teacher nothing would have stayed with her. Her mind was too filled with the thoughts of the Domyouji family and just what kind of power they had. They had power and money and connections all over the world and if his mother really didn't like her, she wouldn't be at all shocked if found her and her family dropped off on some island. That thought terrified her. She and Yuuki had researched just what kind of woman Tsukasa's mother was and by what they read she was an extremely talented businesswoman but she was not known for her kindness. Or for having any sort of emotion for that matter. All the articles that came up commented on her ability to eliminate a problem with ease and always managed to get her way. Tsukushi had nightmares all night after she read that.

The only thing that was keeping her in her seat and not off creating a new identity was the words Tsukasa said to her. He promised he would protect her. He would go against his mother and if he couldn't win he would leave everything behind and come into her world. Her cheeks heated up as she remembered his sweet words as she held the Saturn necklace that hung around her neck with great care. It wouldn't be easy for someone like Tsukasa to leave behind a life of luxury and enter her world that was filled with hardships. But she knew that he meant it when he told her that. He was willing to do anything possible in order to keep dating her and she needed to do the same. She was still scared out of her mind but so long as he was by her side she could face against his scary mother and anyone else.

_"But does that include Tsukasa himself?" _she sighed, the nervous feeling gone and in its place was one of dread. It had only been a couple of days since his secret had been revealed and while she wasn't thrilled that he had lied to her for so long she had gotten over it and they had continued on in their relationship as they did before she knew the truth. Kind of. Now that she knew he was Domyouji he was constantly taking her to fancy and expensive restaurants and shops and insisted on paying for everything. He pretty much had too, there was no way in the world would she ever be able to afford his lifestyle. But that wasn't the main thing that was bothering her. He was still lying. She just didn't know what it was that he was keeping from her. She knew it had something to do with his school but what it was she didn't even have the slightest idea. She and Yuuki had speculated that there was a fan club full of crazy girls after him that he was too embarrassed to talk about but once Tsukushi thought who Tsukasa really was she knew that couldn't be it. If there really was such a thing, full of crazy fan girls or not, he would be bragging none stop about it and how awesome he was to have such a club that was made to worship him.

It had to be something really big he was hiding because every time she brought up his school he would try and divert her attention to another topic. She loved Tsukasa with all her heart but knowing that he was still keeping things from her hurt. Was it because he didn't trust her? Was it something that only rich people were allowed to know about? Did it have something to do with him personally? She had so many questions and no answers.

_Knock Knock _

A soft knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts and caught the attention of everyone from her class. The principal walked in, strangely he looked a little nervous. "Is Tsukushi Makino here?" he asked, his voice quivering slightly.

She felt every eye of her classmates land on her once he asked for her. Slowly she nodded and stood up. Once she got the silent approval from her teacher she gathered her stuff and left the classroom. Yuuki offered her a smile and thumbs up, silently wishing her good luck. Both girls had an idea about why she was being called out of class. _"But I thought Tsukasa said he would pick me up after class." _She thought to herself as she walked out of the school and spotted a black Mercedes that was parked in front. By now most of the school was looking at her and she never felt more embarrassed in her entire life. _"He probably got to impatient. Honestly I'm amazed he lasted this long." _Her boyfriend was not known for his patience so she was really impressed he had waited this long to pick her up.

"Miss Makino," once she entered the car she was met with a middle-aged man, dressed in a brown suit and a serious look on his face. "My name is Nishida and I've been ordered to escort you."

She nodded, her voice lost to her. She knew she was getting picked up and had a feeling it would be in an expensive car but sitting with this strange man made her feel nervous. Tsukasa never mentioned there would be anyone else in the car. She automatically assumed he would be with her the whole way. Did something happen? Was he too busy preparing to get her? Did his mother get to him? She had even more questions now.

The ride was silent; she kept her gaze on the window the whole time, trying to see where they were headed and to avoid from looking at the man that sat across from her. He kept looking at her, almost as if he was studying her. She wouldn't be that surprised if he took out a pad and pen and started taking notes. His behavior unnerved her and made her feel anxious. Something was going on. She could feel it in her gut. "Um, excuse me. But where are we going?" she finally asked, bringing her attention onto the older man but he gave her no reply. She gulped but tried again. "I thought Tsukasa wanted me to meet his mother at their house?" she fished for answers, hoping he would give her some kind of clue as to where they were headed. She had only been to Tsukasa's house once and that was when she had been tricked into working for his birthday. But that one time left an imprint in not only her mind but on her heart. She had all but fled the place with tears in her eyes but she had been able to make out every detail of the neighbor she had been in and where they were now was nowhere near the Domyouji mansion. She knew the location hadn't been moved, he would have told her if that happened. That only meant one thing. "You work for Tsukasa's mother, don't you?"

Mr. Nishida's stoic face didn't change but his eyes shined briefly, showing her a glimpse of the emotions he was trying to keep from her. "That is correct. Kaede Domyouji is indeed my superior and she feels that if you are to continue dating her son than you should know exactly who it is you're romantically involved with."

You think she would be happy about this. From what he was saying his mother was going to allow her and Tsukasa to keep seeing each other but it was how he said it that scared her. She needed to know exactly who she was with? _"What does that even mean?" _there was so much more to his words than he was letting on, but before she could ask him anything more the car door opened. She hadn't even been aware they had stopped. A white-gloved hand was held out for her to take and with some hesitant she took it. She stepped out, back into the cold winter weather and was standing out in the very front of Eitoku Academy. She gulped, her heart felt heavy at her being there.

"Miss Makino," Nishida came to stand beside her. "Please follow me and be sure to stick close."

_"Stick close?" _he made it sound like they were going on a jungle safari hunt instead of walking the halls of a high school. She had been on this campus twice and that was when she was touring the school and taking the entrance exam. From one look at the students she knew that she would never ever willing go to this kind of school and had purposely failed the exams. Taking another look around the campus and the students who all judged her and walked around like they were better than her only affirmed that she made the right choice. Even if this was Tsukasa's school she could never stomach going to a school like this, where beauty and wealth came before everything else.

"Hey look, what's that commoner doing here?"

"She's being escorted by some guard."

"You think she's a new transfer?"

"As if, look at her clothes. She has to be dirt poor."

"How dare she step foot inside our school."

"Peasants like her don't belong here."

"The F4 will deal with her."

She felt her anger rise with every comment they made about her but that last one caught her attention. _"F4." _That was the number of Tsukasa's old apartment when he was pretending to be someone else. _"Is it a coincident?" _she didn't like this. Every step she took was making her nervous. Her mouth had gone dry, making it hard to swallow and it felt like she was going to choke on her own tongue. This man, Nishida, was taking her to where Tsukasa was and to reveal to her the last secret that he was hiding. The only question was, did she want to know? She hated this. She hated being lied to and being used as some pawn. Both Tsukasa and his mother were using their power to do the two things she hated the most. Tsukasa was still lying to her and just like last time his mother was using her by showing her the thing he was hiding. She really hated this. All she wanted to do was turn around and run, run from this stuck up school and whatever secrets that were being kept there. She knew deep in her heart that whatever he was hiding from her it was something she wouldn't like. She tried fooling herself that it wouldn't be bad but as she walked through the halls she knew what a idiot she was for acting so foolish. The feeling of dread that filled her heart with each step she took made her want to throw up.

They came upon a group of students that all stood in a circle, chanting and cheering and were focused on what was happening in the very middle. This was their stop. "Master Tsukasa is at the center." Nishida told her, stepping back and ushering her to go on.

She didn't want to. She really didn't want to. She looked at him, silently pleading to not make her do this. She knew whatever was beyond the group of students would break her but once more he ushered her to go on. Biting her lip she forced herself to move, pushing past students that sneered at her.

"You stupid fool!"

She could hear Tsukasa's voice. It sounded like it always does, powerful and commanding and it had her heart skipping. Even when he wasn't with her he was still giving her the courage to go on.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?"

She giggled softly as she pushed past two boys. He really would never change. Always screaming at people and acting like a commanding officer.

"I have somewhere important to be today and you scuffed up my shoes."

She couldn't help but roll her eyes at how childish he was being. She knew this meeting with her and his mother was important to him but that was no reason to make such a big deal about a pair of scuffed up shoes. It wasn't like he couldn't afford to buy new ones. She would be sure to scold him for acting so stupid at school. Was that the big secret? Did he want to keep hidden that he acted like a hotshot at school? He kept the fact that he was rich from her because of her rant about rich people and in that rant she also said how she hated it when they acted like they were better than everyone else. So was that it? Did he not want her to find out that at school he acted like the rich spoiled brat he really was? She snorted, he really was simple. Even when he was pretending to be a commoner she had grown used to his bratty attitude and actually found it kind of cute. Not that she would ever tell him that. But if this was what he was hiding from her then she would tell him he had nothing to worry about. And if that is true than maybe that also meant his mother had accepted that she was dating her son too. Hope filled her heart as she skipped past the rest of the group and pushed her way to the very front. "Tsukasa..." whatever she was about to say died on the tip of her tongue. As well as the hope she had been feeling.

"I'm so sorry!" a girl with short brown hair cried as she sat on her knees, her hands gripping the edge of her skirt.

Tsukasa sneered at the sight of her crying form. Every wail she let out had his anger rising. "Do you really think saying sorry and crying will fix this? I have to be somewhere extremely important and now you expect me to show up with scuffed up shoes. Are you trying to make a clown out of me?" he yelled, a spark of amusement shined in his eyes at the girl and everyone around them flinched.

If he had been paying attention he would have noticed the lone figure that remained still in the crowd.

"Tsukasa, the correct term is fool. Not clown." Soujirou softly corrected his best friend, making sure to keep out of his reach. He knew when his old friend got like this it was best to stay as far away as possible to avoid getting hit.

"Forget it, he's not listening." Akira told his friend. There was no point in wasting their breath on the guy when he got like this. "Tsukasa's pretty riled up. This meeting with his mother and Tsukushi must really be making him nervous." It was certainly a rare sight to see the guy who is confident in everything he does behavior in such a manner. "So, what do you think Rui?" he asked but he received no answer. He looked over at his old childhood friend to see that he was staring out into the crowd, his violet eyes wide. He followed his gaze and felt his own eyes widen. "Oh no." he whispered, catching Soujirou attention and heard his friend's own gasp at the sight. All three boys looked liked the wind had been knocked out of them before turning back to stare at their friend that had yet to notice they had an unexpected guest.

"I'm sorry. It was an accident! I swear!" the young girl cried as a new set of tears fell from her eyes. Her entire body was shaking. She looked like a helpless animal that had been cornered and knew it was about to be devoured.

Tsukasa scoffed. "That's what you say." He was getting fed up with all her crying and wished he had something to make stop. It was giving him a headache. "I've had enough of your whimpering. I'm sure you know what to expect in your locker tomorrow morning," with a quick glance at his watch he frowned when he saw the time. School was about to end and now because of this girl he would need to change his shoes and he still needed to pick up Tsukushi. "Of course, since I'm in such a good mood today I may let you off easy if you lick off the damage you did to my shoes." He wasn't surprised to see the girl's shoulder slump in defeat and for the crowd around them to start laughing. This sight made his annoyance grow and his hands itch to hit something. Everyone around him really was nothing more than weaklings. "Well, come on. Hurry it up!" he barked, wanting to get this over with. This girl needed to be taught what her place in the world was and he needed to get a move on if he was going to keep his promise to Tsukushi. If he hadn't been at school he would have allowed a smile to appear on his face at the thought of her. He was so excited to officially introduce her to his family as his girlfriend. And once that was done he would go public with their relationship, which would allow them to be so much more open about their dates. He felt like a little kid on Christmas that knew everything he wanted was sitting perfectly right under the tree. But now because of this stupid girl he was going to be late and ruin his perfect plan. "Listen, I don't have all day. Either do this or I'll make sure your punishment will be far worse." He snorted at the fear shinning in her eyes and frowned at how easily she was giving in. She got down on all fours and proceeded to inch closer and closer to his shoe. Once he saw her tongue stick out he kicked her away. "Fool, as if I would ever allow the tongue of some low class peasant to touch me." He smirked, running his hand through his hair. He looked at the girl's fallen form, she seemed to have already accepted this would be her fate and had given in. She wouldn't even last a day after being red-tagged. He almost felt pity for her but she knew exactly what she was getting into when she entered this school. This was his kingdom and he had to be sure to remind his subjects that he was the king and his word was law. "I suggest you start packing up all your belongings. Someone as pathetic as you won't ever-" he never got a chance to finish his sentence as he felt a foot make contact with his cheek, sending him flying and had him crashing down, hard, face first to the cold ground of his school's hallway.

The entire area around them was encased in dead silence. No one even blinked, to shocked by what they just witnessed. The only ones that moved were the remaining F4 members and that was because they knew what was about to happen and had to get themselves ready to stop a war.

Tsukasa felt his anger boil over. How dare someone kick his precious face. Now he was going to have to delay his meeting with Tsukushi and his mother even more. "I don't know who it is you think you are, but once I get done with you, you won't have any kind of future." He said, standing back up on his feet with full confidences. He would teach whoever had kicked him what hell really was. But once he saw just who it was that attacked him any confidence he felt disappeared and in its place was cold dread. "Tsukushi..."

The anger that had been boiling inside Tsukasa was still raging inside her. Just watching that entire thing had made her so sick to her stomach she was amazed she didn't throw up on the spot. She stood before him, panting and shaking from holding herself back. She wanted to do so much more than just kick him. After watching him kick that poor girl away like she was nothing more than garbage made something inside her snap. How could he do such a thing? How can he treat another human being in such a cruel manner? Her brown eyes flashed with rage and tears but she held it all back. Now was not the time to start crying.

She glared at him, her hand twitched to slap him but she continued to hold herself back. Instead she ignored his advances to talk with her, turning her head at the sight of him and walked over to the fallen girl. "Are you ok?" she crouched down, looking her over for any injuries that may have come when she was kicked away. The girl looked up at her, tears streaming down her face and disbelief shining in her eyes. "Come on, let me help you up." Tsukushi held out her hand for the girl, offering her a gentle smile. She had just been through a lot and it was obvious that she needed a friend. The tears that fell from the girl's eyes began to increase but with them came the look of hope. With a shaking hand she reached out to Tsukushi's offered hand and held it tight, fearing that she might let go and leave her behind. But that wasn't the case. The two girls stood up and walked through the group of students that let them go without any trouble. After what they just witnessed no one wanted to mess with Tsukushi or do something that could anger Tsukasa.

Tsukushi felt the stares of every student and teacher that they passed but she didn't let that bother her. With a glance to her side she saw that Mr. Nishida was walking with them, his face just as expressionless as always. It wasn't until they entrance of the school did the girl that she was holding onto seem to finally relax. "Would it be all right if we took her home?" she knew the man was only ordered to escort her but she couldn't just leave the girl alone. After what she just witnessed she was worried about what might be done to her if they left her to go home by herself.

Mr. Nishida nodded, surprisingly very corporative. "Yes, that should be fine. I'll have them bring the car around." He stepped off to the side, bringing out his phone to contact the driver.

Tsukushi nodded her head in thanks but felt nervous watching the man go. As strange as it was to say she felt exposed without the man. She knew exactly why he was here and had a feeling he was calling someone else besides the driver and she knew exactly who that someone else was. Probably to give an update on what just happened. Tsukasa's mother really knew how to put on a show. She felt bitter towards the woman, she was indeed powerful but that didn't give her the right to use Tsukushi like she was some pawn in a game of chess. But as much as she disliked the woman most of her anger and resentment was focused on her son. _"Tsukasa…"_ she gripped the Saturn necklace, eyes shut tight as her mind flashed her images of what she just saw. _"How could you…?" _she knew he liked to be in charge and order people around but to go that far. He acted like he was some kind of dictator. And why was it that no one was stopping him? His friends, classmates, even the teachers all of them just stood there and let it happen.

"Um…excuse me." Tsukushi was taken from her mental rant and brought back to reality. She turned to see the girl looking at her with a concerned expression. "Are you alright?" she asked, her voice timid.

Her heart went out to this girl. She just went through one of the worst cases of bullying that Tsukushi had ever seen in her life and yet there she was, asking if _she _was all right. There really must be something wrong with her. "Yeah, I'm ok." She smiled, reminding herself that there were much more important things to worry about at this time. Like helping this girl get out of this place safe and sound. "How about you?" she quickly looked over her small frame and was pleased there weren't any injuries, mostly just dirt on her uniform. A nod was all she got but she would take it. "Well I'm glad. I'm Tsukushi Makino by the way." She held out her hand for the girl to take.

"I'm Makiko Endou," she shook her hand and for the first time today smiled. "Thank you so much for helping me. You were really amazing."

Tsukushi felt a little embarrassed by such high praises. "I wouldn't go that far. What amazes me is that no one was stopping it. I mean even the teachers just stood by and watched. What kind of school is this?" she looked back at the big campus. It was a school that had been built for all the rich children in Japan to help them get the best education possible and enjoy their youth before they went on to take over their family's corporation. They had the best teachers, chefs, uniforms, buildings and more that money could buy. You'd think such an elite place would be a paradise but it was all a ruse. Hidden behind the beauty was a world being tainted by the ugliness that was in the hearts of the students. The students who didn't care if one of their classmates got abused right in front of their eyes.

"It's actually not that surprising," Makiko explained, her eyes sadden as she looked at her school. "The F4 are the four richest guys in the entire school. One word from them could have this entire place shut down and all the teachers out of work permanently. Everyone is too scared to say anything and usually when someone is red tagged they don't last for long."

Tsukushi felt her anger growing with every word this girl was saying. How could such a place exist? A place that was built to help children develop and turn into upright human beings had become some sort of living hell. "What do you mean by red tagged?"

"Red tagged is what happens to someone who angers the F4. Domyouji-sama is the leader of the group and he's usually the one who determines who gets tagged. Actually he's the one came up with the idea," Makiko hadn't noticed but hidden behind Tsukushi's angry expression a flicker of sadness and shame flashed in her brown eyes. "Once a red tag appears in your locker you become free game for the entire school to torment you until you resign from the school."

"And the teachers allow this!" Tsukushi felt disgusted that such a thing was going on. How the hell could this kind of bullying be allowed? "As teachers it's their job to ensure the safety and happiness of their students. They shouldn't just roll over and ignore such a crime just because they might get fired."

"I knew a commoner like yourself wouldn't understand the true beauty of what the F4 are doing."

A new voice joined them. Tsukushi looked on and glared at the three girls that were all smirking at her. "Can I help you?" she didn't like how they were looking at her. Her gut was telling her they were up to no good.

"That's Asai and her friends. They're the biggest fans of the F4 and usually bully girls who get to close to them." Makiko informed her.

"Geez, just what is wrong with this school? Has no one seen an anti-bully video here?" Tsukushi could only shake her head. At her school two times a semester they would gather everyone into the auditorium to watch videos about bullying and the consequences. But by what was happening here it would appear that none of them had even heard of such things. Rich kids really did live by different rules.

"I must say I'm shocked that the guards even allowed someone like you to set one foot on campus. A commoner as pitiful as yourself doesn't deserve to even breath the same air as us." Asai grinned, letting them all know that she was enjoying every second of mocking the girl. "We'll probably have to burn our clothes from today just because of close in contact we were to a poor person." She added while her two friends laughed in the background.

Tsukushi felt her anger rising. These three girls were a prime example of why she hated rich people so much. Always acting like they were better than everyone else just because they had money. So what if they did? That doesn't give them the right to treat other people like dirt. Her anger had taken over, shutting out her rational side and having her body move before she could even think twice about the consequences. Needless to say all five girls were shocked when she slapped Asai right across the face, leaving a giant red mark. Tsukushi knew she shouldn't have done that. These girls had money and power and everything she didn't, but as she stood there looking at the three girls all wearing designer shoes, accessories, and makeup she found that she didn't care what happened. She was glad she did it.

Asai was dumbstruck. Never in her entire life had anyone ever put a hand on her. Not her parents or the servants or even the kids at school. She has been treated like a princess from the moment she was born. But just now another girl her age had struck her and looked at her with cold eyes, a look she wasn't used to receiving. It made her feel scared and timid on the inside and that was something she did not like. "You bitch," she cupped her swollen cheek in one hand, glaring with all her might. "How dare you touch me with your filthy hands. You're nothing but a low-class peasant who will never amount to anything in life. You're poor and ugly and I hope you rot in the gutter with the rest of the trash."

Tsukushi was slightly taken back by the girl's sudden outburst. It told her all she needed to know about this girl, someone who was probably fed with a golden spoon and wore diamond-encrusted diapers as a baby. "Congratulations, you have an opinion I care nothing about." The anger she felt was still there but her body now felt heavy from keeping everything in. There was so much more rage and emotion she wanted to release but she couldn't. Not yet at least. She wouldn't allow herself to be exposed anymore. Hearing the car pull up behind her she turned her back to the girl, already forgetting her and their meeting from her memory. "Come on, Makiko." She signaled for her new friend to follow her. Right now she wanted to get as far away from this place and the people in it as fast as she could.

Asai watched Tsukushi go; her own rage was building up. The anger and humiliation she felt were overpowering it had her seeing red. Her mind shut down, allowing her body to act on instinct with only one purpose in mind, to get even with this girl who had the nerve to publicly embarrass her. Reaching out she forcing grabbed for her friend's bad, pushing the girl down to the ground as she yanked out a pair of scissors that had been used earlier to trim the girls bang's by one of the emergency beauticians on campus. She ran with the scissors in hand, ignoring the cries of her friends but took pleasure in seeing the shocked and fearful look on Tsukushi's face when she turned around and saw what was coming at her.

For a moment time seemed to stand still as Asai stood over Tsukushi, panting heavily and enjoying the sight of the trail of blood that was dripping down her face. But what she enjoyed the most was the large chunk of hair that she had cut up that now lay by their feet. The once long brown hair was cut drastically short, nearly to her chin and was uneven and looked ridiculous when compared to the other side that was still long. But she wasn't satisfied. While she enjoyed having ruined her image she wanted to do more, make it so all her clothes were ripped up and her hair was in patches so that the entire world would see just how truly poor and ugly this girl who dared to defy her was.

Tsukushi felt like her heart was going to jump right out of her chest. She hadn't expected for Asai to suddenly come running at her with scissors. Though she figured she should consider herself lucky. The only real damage that had been done was a slight cut on her cheek. She didn't really care about her hair, well maybe a little, but too her it was just hair that would grow back with time. It wasn't something that she valued or treasured. Although she had a feeling if any of these girls suddenly had their haircut up like that they would probably breakdown. They valued their looks above all else and that made Tsukushi's stomach churn. All these damn rich people, acting like they could do whatever they wanted and not have to worry about picking up whatever mess they left behind. She was sick and tired of it all and if these girls wanted to fight than so would she.

It was easy to push the girl off her. She doubted she had ever even once participated in gym class. The two stared the other down, waiting to see who would break first and attack. Asai gave in easily and ran at Tsukushi again, scissors still in her hand but she didn't get far as a sudden hand reached out and took hold of her wrist. She spun around to tell who was ever stopping her to back off but her words died on her tongue when she saw Tsukasa standing over her, his deadly gaze making her tremble on the spot. The hold she had on the scissors dropped the moment she looked into his eyes, the rage and power that was in them made her whimper. His hold on her wrist was tight; she could already feel the bruises forming. "Get out of my sight this instant." He pushed her away with ease and the three girls didn't even dare to question him. They ran away as fast as they could.

Tsukasa watched the three girls go; silently memorizing who they were so he could punish them properly tomorrow. Turning away from them he looked at Tsukushi, his eyes gazing directly with her enraged ones. He felt his heart waver when he saw that look but he wouldn't give up. He almost lost her once but he had been able to get her back. It was something he was going to do again, he refused to lose her and he'd be damned if he let his mother control his life and keep him away from the only woman he's ever loved. He took a step forward, reaching out for her.

"Don't…" Tsukushi stopped him before he could even try anything. She knew exactly what he was going to say. He would give her the same speech as last time; tell her how much he loved her and how scared he was to lose her if she found out the truth. And like a fool she had gone along with everything he said and didn't bother trying to figure out the truth. She had remained blissfully ignorant, despite the fact she knew he was still hiding things from her, she allowed herself to be selfish and continue in her relationship. This had to be karma or something punishing her for putting herself first in life. Or maybe the universe was of telling her what a complete and total idiot she was. Either way, she's had enough. "Tsukasa, you lied to me. Even after I asked you to be completely honest with me you still continued to lie to me," she glared at him, hands clenched at her side to try and distract her from the real pain she was feeling. The last time he lied to her was because of a snide comment she made to him about his life that she had not known about. But this was different. He lied to her because he knew that if she ever found out she would leave him. "I could forgive you for lying to me about your lifestyle but this…" she felt her tears finally fall and hated that he had reduced her to a crying little girl. "This is something I can never forgive. I refuse to be with someone who gets enjoyment out of hurting others." Growing up in her poor upbringing had her see the world without any rose-colored glasses on and saw the people for who they really were. People can be very cruel and she's experienced many of bullies who targeted her because of how financially poor her family was. But at each and every turn she fought against them and vowed that she would never be with someone like that.

Tsukasa felt like he had just been punched in the stomach. The look she was giving him, the anger and disappointment mixed in with her tears was too much for him to bear. "Tsukushi…!"

Once more she stopped him before he could do anything. If she allowed him to speak, to try and explain himself, to tell her that he loves her, she knew that her determination would sway and she wouldn't be able to leave. But she needed to; she would leave this place that was only for the rich and go back to her world where she would forget about him. She had thrown her Saturn necklace at him, breaking the claps and tried not to cry more at the sudden exposure she felt around her now empty neck. "Just stay away from me." The car had finally pulled up behind her. Mr. Nishida stepping out to open the car door for the two girls, not even blinking at the sight before him. "I never want to see you again!" she cried, turning her back and running into the car. Makiko jumping in right behind and not long after they drove away, Tsukasa's cries for her echoed as he chased down the car but she refused to turn around. Instead she placed a hand over her mouth to try and drown out her cries. She knew she had done the right thing. She couldn't be with a guy who had lied to her every step of the way and bullied others just because he could. She knew that this was the only decision that would return her life to normal and make her happy. It was the right choice.

So why did it hurt so much?

Tsukushi had remained silent the whole ride, not even when Makiko was dropped off home had she spoken. All he strength was used up from crying and now all she wanted to do was go home, crawl into her bed, and hope everything would just disappear. But she knew she still had one more thing left to do. They had pulled up to her house; the neighbors all seemed shocked by such an expensive looking car parked on their block but she didn't care or worry about them or even what her family would say. "I'm sorry to ask this but would you mind waiting for a bit. There's something that I have to do." Her voice was raw and stung from all the crying she had done.

Mr. Nishida looked at the rearview mirror, staring at her tearstained face and shaking body. With a low sigh he nodded in agreement. "I can only wait for five minutes." He informed her. That was all he could give her without being late for his next appointment.

Tsukushi didn't say anything. She got out of the car, ignoring all the looks she questions she was getting and walked to her home. Her legs wobbled and she felt like she was in a daze, almost like she was on autopilot and just moving because she knew she had too. Only when she entered her room and reached into her closet to pull out a brown leather jacket did her mind finally snap back to attention and a fresh new wave of tears fell. "Why Tsukasa…why?!" she cried, falling to her knees and hugging the jacket to her chest. Why did he have to be a Domyouji? Why couldn't they have been born into the same type of world? Why did she have to fall so deeply in love with him? She loved him. She loved him with her entire being but she couldn't be with him. How could she be with someone like that? Someone who was so cold and heartless that he made a game out of bullying others and got the whole school to go along with it? How could someone be so cruel be so loving at the same time?

A loud honk reminded her of her time limit and despite the tears still falling she managed to pack away everything that served as a reminder of her relationship with Tsukasa. She would give it all back and forget about him. If she ever wanted to be happy in life she had to forget about him and their love.

**~X~ **

After Tsukushi had left the school had been in an uproar about her and what she had done. Some had commented on her bravery while others had deemed her stupid. Most agreed she was a mixture. But they didn't talk about the girl for long. Anytime someone mentioned her Tsukasa would go on a rampage, shattering windows, destroying classrooms and sent seven people to the emergency room. Finally his three friends decided to take him out of school and out into town in hopes of getting him to cool off. It hadn't worked. He ended up attacking a guy whose girlfriend looked like Tsukushi from the back. It wasn't until after he assaulted a police officer that they all decided it was best to just take him home and leave him be.

Only they hadn't known what was waiting for them. While the three had decided to sit in the living room with Tsubaki in hopes of giving him time by himself to cool off. Tsukasa saw his old brown leather jacket sitting on his bed, neatly folded with a black and yellow walkie-talkie, a keychain and a bunch of photographs all carefully made into one pile. The sight of this broke his heart, the anger and rage he felt before was nothing compared to this. This sight was proof of his fears. Proof that Tsukushi really wanted nothing more to do with him. He let out a cry that sounded more like a wild animal than human and proceed to destroy his room, leaving not a trace of the one big and beautiful marble room that proudly showed off the expensive items. He was broken on the inside so his world on the outside might as well be broken too.


End file.
